Pokemon The Movie 2000 II: Lawrence's Revenge
by WyldClaw
Summary: My major fanfic of the WCverse.. AAML 'Hijacked sequel ' . my own idea of a sequel to Pokemon the movie 2000 .Alternate Ending: What if lawrence (i.e the collector) hadn't become good but wanted revenge on a black haired Pokemon-trainer? read on to find out . Action! Drama! Romance ! TR bashing! Evolutions! . enjoy! 10/2020-part 2 now edited
1. Pokemon the Movie 2000 II overview

Pokemon the movie 2000 II: Lawrence's Revenge things to know by WyldClaw

Plot: what fueled Lawrence's mean of revenge? I don't own any characters. If I did I would've made Misty stayed. If you flame me then, you can become targets for my Gyarados, Tiamat, when he practices Dragonbreath, Hyper Beam, Ice Beam, Thunder and Dragon Rage attacks. Any questions? Good. Compliments are always welcomed. I wrote this two-part story on September 15, 2002. However since it is a big story I have decided to put up the story in chapters.

Remember: " " are when the humans are talking but Meowth is the only Pokémon that can talk like a human, {} are thoughts, during the trailers scenes/ lines from previous movies/ other scenes are in _Italics _while the narrator talks in **bold**. () Is translated Pokémon speech? I don't know the last name of the villain in it, so I've given him the name Lawrence Juardian Le Villiyon II: his first name being his English name, his middle name being his Japanese one and the last name is a play on the words 'the villain', which he is. The prelude is at the end of **_Pokémon the Movie 2000_**. There's a reference to 'Hook" in the prelude. FIL stands for Fire Ice and lightning-an inside -joke for readers who've seen **_Pokémon the Movie 2000_**. So now that's out of the way ... let's begin!

Revised: november 2019

The Prelude:

Two years ago:

"oh I hate having my plans ruined. And I hate having my ship wrecked. And I hate having my destiny ripped from me. And I hate...I hate... I *hate* that kid!" the man told himself as he glared wrathfully through his telescope. He had olive green hair and light blue colored eyes. His clothes, which gave the appearance of a rich, debonair aristocrat, were dirty and torn in some places. His eyes were fixed on a young jet-black haired boy-more like a young teenager than a boy- with a Pikachu on his shoulders talking to a woman with light brown hair wearing a pink shirt at the Shamuti Shrine. Although he was a couple of miles from the Shrine, he could see the kid very clearly with his telescope. The longer he stared, the more his passion for revenge grew, the hand clasped around the Ancient Mew card shaking with anger and rage. "He will pay for what he did! For ruining my destiny! One way or another Lugia WILL be mine!That boy has just made a dreadful enemy out of me -Lawrence Juardian Le Villiyon II. "

{ And I will stop at NOTHING to get revenge] he thought as he turned away from the telescope and gazed at the wreckage of his aircraft. The setting sun showed how much damage Lugia had truly done to it. The Aeroblast had destroyed it beyond repair. He had been thisclose to completing his purpose of being the one person in the world to capture the Water's Great Guardian. Then that kid had shown up and ruined everything! {Who the heck was he ? he was like no Pokemon trainer I'd ever seen.} All of a sudden an idea appeared in Lawrence's head. "the Legend!"

Of course the Legend would tell him the answer. He had read the Legend so many times that he closed his eyes and recited it: "Disturb not the harmony of Fire, Ice, or Lightning. Lest these Titans wreak destruction upon the world in which they clash. Though the water's Great Guardian shall arrive to quell the fighting. Alone its song shall fail. Thus the earth shall turn to ash. -"

He opened his eyes as he got to that line. "Of course. How could I be so stupid." It was perfectly clear now- the kid's name was Ash. The Great Guardian wouldn't have appeared when he did if the boy wasn't part of the prophecy. He had this strange feeling that the brat would do anything to make things right. All he had to do was keep the Ash from getting to Fire, Ice and Lightning Islands again. He would have to learn all about the boy's weaknesses. The first rule of war, and revenge, was to know thy enemy.

He knew he would have to rebuild his airship if he were to fulfill his revenge on the kid, but not all by himself. He knew of a man, an 'acquaintance' if he was to use the term extremely loosely who'd hire people to rebuild it, but make it even stronger than before, so that once a Pokémon was trapped it was trapped for good. But that man would want payment. He knew the man desired rare and valuable Pokémon, {where would I find one? I'm no trainer. It's not like one's going to pop into my -}

Lawrence smiled evilly, he had just thought of the ideal Pokémon. That boy's Pikachu was beyond powerful and he believed it was the boy's weak spot. He had seen how Ash had reacted when Zapdos had hit it with a weak Thundershock though at the time he had dismissed the thought. It had somehow managed to break through the force field imprisoning Moltres and free the Titan of Fire although he saw that through a security camera but again had not thought it of any importance at the time. the mouse followed him around like a shadow.

His friend would certainly be pleased with it! Once he had the kid in his grasp there would be no more interference to keep him from completing his destiny.

What a prefect revenge it would be!

Character Guide

Pikachu: This small yellow electric mouse of the electrical element is Ash Ketchum's first Pokémon and because of this, he has an enormously special bond with him. He is the only character who witnesses the event at the beginning of Part 1. Pikachu doesn't like to see his human friends Ash or Misty hurt. He is so power-packed and strong that he has been known to knock Rock and Ground-type Pokémon out with a single Thundershock regardless of the fact that electricity is ineffective against those types. Pikachu is also extremely fast compared to other Pokémon. His worst fear, apart from being separated from Ash, is being stuck in a Pokéball because he is claustrophobic; which means he has a fear of small spaces. This fear gives a good explanation as to why he dislikes pokéballs. In addition to pokéballs, he despises Team Rocket, particularly Jessie, Meowth and James because they always try to separate him from Ash. This is the reason why he hates them a vast deal more than pokéballs. He is also Togepi's unofficial babysitter since he tries to keep him from getting hurt

Ashton "Ash" Ihsotas Ketchum: our young hero. A thirteen and a half-year-old boy from Pallet Town, Kanto with chocolate brown eyes and jet-black hair that is usually covered by his lucky Pokémon League hat whose life's ambition is to become the world's greatest Pokémon Master. He has a hidden crush on Misty. Ash's name is written all the way down Lawrence Juardian Le Villiyon II's hit list because he brought together the treasures of Moltres, Articuno and Zapdos to the Shamuti shrine, therefore giving the Great Guardian, Lugia, strength to defeat Lawrence two years ago. He is the noted Chosen One in the Shamuti Legend. Ash is very compassionate towards his Pokémon and friends, but he will do anything for Pikachu, his first Pokémon with whom he has a very strong friendship. He cannot put up with Gary Oak, his rival, who irritates the living daylights out of him by calling him "Ashy-boy". Apart from Gary, his main foes are Team Rocket, especially Jessie, James and Meowth. These three follow him and Misty around as always after his Pikachu, who is so much stronger than other ones that he has been known to defeat Rock and Ground types. For this reason, Ash hates them a great deal more than Gary. Aside from Pikachu, Ash also has a Bayleef who has a huge crush on him, a shiny Noctowl, a Cyndaquil, a Totodile, and a Phanpy with him in the story

Misty Imusak Waterflower: our other young hero is a pretty thirteen and a half year-old girl from Cerulean City, Kanto with orange-red hair. Misty wants to learn everything she can about Water Pokémon. She used to be the Cerulean City Pokémon Gym Leader but now that job belongs to her three older sisters: Daisy, Violet, and Lily, the Cerulean City Synchronized Swimming Sisters who are more concerned about their looks than about battles. Misty has been traveling with Ash ever since he destroyed her bike in an effort to save Pikachu from a flock of angry Spearows three and a half years ago and has been bugging him about the money for a new one. But she hasn't brought this subject up since she and Ash were heading back to Viridian City so he could get an Earth Badge. She has the only Togepi in the world in her care. She was the first person Togepi saw after he hatched and he imprinted on her. This means Togepi thinks she's his mother and since Ash was the second person he saw, Togepi believes he is his father. She, like Ash and Pikachu, despises Team Rocket, but for the most part Jessie, James, and Meowth. Bug-type Pokémon bug Misty. Apart from Togepi, Misty also has a not so smart Psyduck who has a bad tendency of coming out of his pokeball when she doesn't call him out, a Politoed, a Corsola and a Staryu with her in the story.

Jessie, Meowth and James: our favorite dolt trio aka The three bungling members of Team Rocket that follow Ash and Misty around . They have dreams of stealing rare and valuable Pokémon, like his Pikachu for example, for their boss, Giovanni, and receiving a big fat paycheck or promotion in return. Luckily they have never really succeeded thanks to the efforts of our two heroes . Jessie has long red-purplish hair that curls to a point in the back whereas James has short indigo blue hair with light blue highlights that comes down halfway down his neck. Meowth taught himself how to talk and walk like a human in order to make an impression on a rich, female Meowth he had a crush on but she dumped him for a more mature Persian. He was also Team Rocket's Top Cat for a while before another Persian took his place. Because of these reasons, Meowth has an intense dislike of Persians and will never evolve into one. James was born into an enormously prosperous family but he ran away when he was forced to marry a stuck up, wealthy woman named Jessebelle. Not much is known about Jessie's past before she joined Team Rocket except her family was awfully poverty-stricken. These three's worst fear is that they will be kicked off of Team Rocket. In Giovanni's eyes, these three are an embarrassment to Team Rocket seeing as they can't capture a Magicarp to save their lives. Jessie, James and Meowth all hate the "twerps", who is what they call Ash and Misty, but have formed short-lived alliances with them a few times in the past. Apart from Meowth, Jessie has a Wobbufet that has a habit similar to Psyduck's where it pops out of its pokeball without being called out and an Arbok whereas James has a Victreebel and a Weezing.

Lawrence Juardian Le Villiyon II: He is the Lugia-obsessed villain of the fic as well as **_Pokémon the Movie 2000. _**He will do anything to get a hold of the Great Guardian, Lugia again. This includes getting rid of a certain black-haired, hat-wearing boy who thwarted him from capturing Lugia the first time. Lawrence plainly abominates Ash with a passion for this reason.. No one knows about Lawrence's past…. nor do they want to

AAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Teaser trailer:

**It's been nearly two long years since the incident**

**Almost 24 months to think about what went wrong the first time**

"I hate having my plans ruined. And I hate having my ship ruined & I hate having my destiny ripped from. And I hate... I hate... I *hate* that kid!"

**That's 712 days to plot revenge against the only person who stopped him.**

'"I don't think I'm in Cerulean City anymore"

"Get up, little boy"

"You." Ash gasped.

"You don't care about me at all, Ash Ketchum! You-you meant everything you said to me the other night in the forest. Sometimes I wish you would just disappear from my life forever, which you ruined the day you ruined my bike!" she yelled.

_Scene cuts to a pokeball opening to reveal the title in red with a white border:_

**Pokémon the Movie 2000 II: Lawrence's Revenge**

**The fan-made sequel to Pokémon the Movie 2000**

"Misty?" Ash muttered to himself

**This time there is more than ever at stake**

Misty felt like there was a knot in her stomach that grew tighter with every step she took but she didn't know why.

_Scene goes black as she opens the door_

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

The trailer:

**He's faced off against Mewtwo –**

"You can't do this. I won't let you"

_Clips of Pokémon's tears reviving Ash_

**He's helped save the world-**

"I'm the chosen one?"

"It's right there in the legend. The earth shall turn to ash."

**He's battled the Unown-**

_Clips of Ash battling Entei and the Unknown_

"If anything ever happened to you, we'd be out of showbiz"

_Clips of Charizard saving ash and battling Entei_

**He's fought the iron-masked marauder-**

_Clips of Ash and Sammy battling the iron-masked marauder's Pokémon and the Celebi tree monster _

**one of our hero's old foes is back…. But he's not alone. There is someone else with him .. **

_Scene cuts to Lawrence shaking hands with Giovanni and Lawrence explaining something to him, their faces hidden in the shadows_.

Then as Ash felt a small breeze blow by his feet, he knew what the cats were waiting for, why their eyes had flashed dark blue before they had attacked Pikachu An enormous white ball of matter appeared in the air next to Ash and zoomed right at Pikachu like he was a magnet and it a bunch of nails "Look out!" he shouted to warn Pikachu of the massive Future Sight attack, but it was too late!

Misty felt like Stun Spore rooted her feet to the floor. She saw the Persian, its mouth wide open displaying fang like teeth able of digging deep into her skin, run towards her. 'I'm going to die. I'm going to die. I'm gonna die"

**FIL productions presents…**

(Daddy's gone!) Togepi cried as he pointed to the empty bed. Misty felt a pang of horror as she remembered what she yelled him before she had fallen asleep crying

"Sometimes I wish that you would just disappear from my life forever, which you ruined the day you ruined my bike!"

(That does it! You may call me weak but NEVER CALL ASH PATHETIC IN FRONT OF ME!) He yelled the last part of this as he Mega Kicked Persian off of hi

(Charizard!) Togepi cried happily.

"We know what his plan is. You have to trust us this time."

_Scene cuts to a chair with someone sitting in it that slowly turns around. Just as the light hits the front of the chair it morphs into a pokeball. The ball opens up and reveals red words with white borders as the narrator says them:_

**Pokémon the Movie 2000 II: Lawrence's revenge**

**WyldClaw's action packed sequel to Pokémon the movie 2000**

"You'll have to pry him from my cold, dead fingers." he looked him in the eye as he said this.

"As you wish, kid" Giovanni remarked as he pulled the trigger. A speeding bullet came out of the gun's barrel right at him! As if she was watching in slow motion, Misty saw Raichu jump up in front of Ash

"RAAAIIICHUUUU, NOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"Come on buddy, wake up."

Nothing.

"Want to help me win another badge?"

No response.

"Say something...Anything"


	2. Pokemon the Movie 2000 II Part 1

Pokemon the Movie 2000 II : Lawrence's Revenge Part 1 by WyldClaw

Plot: Pokemon the Movie 2000 AU-ish sequel . What if the Collector, the second movie's villain hadn't seen the error, wanted revenge on Ash? This long story is my Version of a **_Pokémon the Movie 2000 _**sequel and the core of the WCverse. this was my really first big fanfic-it follows my first story Hijacked but there is a quick little recap. . I don't know the official name of the villain in the second movie , so I've given him the name Lawrence Juardian Le Villiyon II, his first name being English, his middle name is his Japanese name and his surname is a pun on 'the villain'. If you use it without my say-so, I'll send my Gyarados, Tiamat after you! As this is a WCverse story Brock isn't in it. . it takes place post-**_Pokémon 4Ever. _**Episode wise, it is set between episode 232 _hatching a plan_, when Phanpy hatches and episode 233: _Dues and Don'ts. _Just pretend there were about three-five weeks in between those episodes in which they visited a lot of little towns and forests, got in tons of fights and did some training. I'm saying this once so it here goes: I DON'T OWN ANY POKEMON CHARACTERS and NEVER WILL!

: () is translated Poke-speech. Meowth is the only One that can talk like a human. _Italics_ Are thoughts and " " are humans talking. Mommy and Daddy are what Togepi calls Misty and Ash. He has a lisp so he replaces the 'r' sound with a 'w'. Most importantly Lawrence can't understand Pokémon apart from Meowth, since he talks like a human. I don't own the flashback lines since those lines are from the second film. XxX. XxX separates the POV switches and italics are thoughts. . I made up the Togepi myth and no one can use it without my permission. Whoever takes it without telling me first, they can either be snacks for Aerodactyls or Tiamat can use them as targets when he practices his Dragon Rage, Twister, Dragonbreath, and Hyper Beam attacks-It's your choice. Now where was I? Oh yes, there are references to my story, Hijacked as well as **_Pokémon the Movie 2000_**, so you might want to check those out beforehand. Both are filled with Pokeshipping. This part has amounts of Pokéshipping, (AshxMisty love) a small amount of blood and violence that might scare young readers. There are a few time times where the characters reference the third movie, the second movie and the second half of the S.S. Anne arc. Compliments are always valued. It's suggested that you read Pokemon the Movie 2000 II : Lawrence's Revenge overview and Hijacked before you read this fanfic. Misty's sisters are mentioned at the start but that's it. .On with the Fic

Revised: october 2020

XxX

Narrator recap: After yet another fight with Misty Ash gave her a [fake] bike voucher and she ran off. Our favorite dimwitted Team Rocket trio- Jessie, James, and Meowth kidnapped her and left a ransom note telling our hero that he'd have to give up Pikachu at the Cerulean gym. With the help of his old friend Duplica, he was able to rescue her while at the same time trying to deal with his growing feelings for her. However Pikachu got poisoned and slammed into a locker by Arbok and although our favorite little electric type is healed from the poison it left him a bit weak to travel. Now it's nighttime at the gym- where the three are staying for the night. Our two heroes had another fight during dinner when Daisy asked Ash if he came because of Misty. He's trying to apologize to her but it's not going well for him. Let's take a closer peek, shall we?

XxX. XxX

"Leave me along."

"I just-"

"Go away!"

"I just wanna talk,.."

"I told you to go away!" Misty yelled at Ash from inside her room. He was standing in the hallway on the other side of the door. "Just-just leave me alone!"

"Look, Misty. How was I supposed to know Violet and Daisy was going to ask me if the reason I came was because I care deeply about you." He responded. "They seemed so innocent about it."

"You-you don't know them like I do. They'll weasel anything out of anyone. They'd make fun of the boys I liked and t-tell me that no one would want to date a sc-scrawny little runt." Misty sobbed into her blue tie-dyed pillow. The last thing she wanted to do was blurt out loud that she liked him more than a friend, that she loved him.

Togepi looked up at her and patted her shoulder . (I'm sorry they said that to you Mommy. you're not sci-scrawny or a wunt ) She looked up from the tear stained pillow and smiled at him.

"I had to tell them I didn't care about you so they'd get off my back about what happened today. I truly didn't mean it." He replied

"That's such a load of bosh! Of course you meant every word. " she countered

"No I didn't."

"You're a l-l-liar…" she choked back a tear.

'Look, Misty. I. I. would never intentionally put you in harm's way. I didn't know those dimwitted morons heard our fight. " He sighed. He took a deep breath and knew what he had to say. "I want you to know that, well I -" he began.

however her next words hurt more than a harsh Doubleslap attack. "Y-You don't care about me at all, Ash Ketchum! You-you meant everything you said to me the other night in the forest! " she interrupted, her voice getting louder. "All y-you care about is your s-stupid gym badges and making it farther in the Silver Conference. You just don't want a repeat of what happened at Indigo Plateau so you just p-push your Pokémon past their limits. You don't want m-me around at all! I hate you Ash! Sometimes I wish you would disappear from my life forever, which you ruined the day you ruined my bike!" she yelled.

He stepped back as if her words had a dealt an actual physical blow. He felt wounded by her words, which echoed in his head as he walked down the carpeted hallway to the guest bedroom that he and Pikachu were using for the night.

"I hate you Ash".

"Don't care about me at all."

"Hate you."

"Disappear from my life."

"Push your Pokémon past their limits"

"Hate you Ash".

That last comment kept repeating in his head. _Was it what I told her the other night in the forest? _He reached the door and opened it. Pikachu was waiting for him in his sleeping bag on the floor. (You didn't get to tell her did you?)

"Well, actually, how'd you know I didn't?"

The mouse 's ears twitched as if pointing out the obvious. (I could hear her all the way down here with the door shut.)

"Oh.. Right."

(My hearing is a bit better than humans-no offense. But it's not useful when the bungling dolt trio snag me) He stated.

"Don't remind me about those three." Ash said as he put his Pokémon League hat on the bedside table next to his pokéballs, closed the door, put on his nightshirt and got into the bed. "Next time we bump into those three, they're going to pay for the humiliation that their stupid plan caused me "

(and tiredness that Arbok;'s poisoning caused me? A Thunderbolt followed by Thunder Shock then frying them to a crisp with Thunder.) Pikachu replied dreamily with a smile on his face as he pictured it.

"They deserve it. That stupid Arbok of Jessie nearly killed us..." The mouse's fur prickled , recalling the Poison type's fangs in his skin. "Sorry he hurt you , pal. I should have known he would try a dirty trick like that. He does take after his trainer.."

(It's not your fault.) The mouse reassured him. (If Seadra and Dewgong hadn't distracted him with that insult.. .I–I would be-) he shuddered – he couldn't finish the sentence . .

" I know pal." his trainer knew what he left out. "I'm still sorry you had to go through that poisoning. For all the battles we've had with Arbok and Weezing you've never really been poisoned by them until today. " 

( yeah..i suppose it was real luck that didn't happen beforehand.)

Getting thrown into that locker probably didn't help."

the mouse shook his head. (Not one bit.)

"I didn't know he was going to do that to you."

(This is Arbok we're talking about. He's a snake and unfortunately snakes' main sources of food are eggs and-) Pikachu shivered (... Mice like me. Like you said All those times when I could have been majorly poisoned but wasn't... my body didn't know what to do. That's why I collapsed on the gym floor, as we were about to leave to get the police.)

"Yeah. And you looked out of sorts even though I gave you the Antidote. "

Pikachu nodded, (I was still a bit woozy when I fainted on the ground when Misty was about to clobber you.) I paused to catch my breath. (I… shouldn't have used Thunder on Jessie and James. It really hurt). He paused to get his breath. (Didn't you say she was concerned and that's why she insisted on us staying the night?)

He nodded . "But that rest along with the Hyper Potion and the water seemed to help you recover."

(It did. ) he changed the subject. (Sooo ...When are you going to tell Misty the truth?)

The teen's face went the color of a setting sun for a few seconds. "Uh Well i .. umm-"

The yellow mouse pokemon smiled. (The longer you put it off the worse it will be. )

"Okay I'll tell her tomorrow morning ... away from her sisters. Goodnight Pikachu." He said as he turned off the bed side light.

(Night, Ash) he replied and they both fell sound asleep. But Ash didn't know he wouldn't be able talk to her the next morning.

.

A few hours later Pikachu heard a figure sneak into the gym that night so he opened his eyes. He heard the gym's door open (It's just the wind. It's just the wind. Calm down) he told himself, (if it's just the wind, why is my heart pounding in my throat?)

Then the door opened and he saw an outline of a man enter the room so he stuck his head out of the covers of a small pokebed a half inch . "Soon you will be mine " the man muttered in a cold voice that made his body shiver. His instincts told him to make himself hidden and that if the stranger saw him it would be extremely bad news. he ducked his head back retreated deep under the covers to the bottom of the bed, almost squishing his lightning-bolt shaped tail flattened his body to the bottom of the bed and shut his eyes. He kept quiet as he laid still not daring to make a sound, his heart beating quickly,

Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.

his heart was beating so fast and was so loud In the stillness he was almost certain the man would hear it, but he didn't. he heard a shuffling of some sort but didn't dare open his eyes or peek his head out of the bed. He stayed that way until he heard the strange man's soft footsteps leave about fifteen minutes later.

He opened his eyes, unflattened himself got out of the bed and jumped up onto the bed to wake Ash up. ( Ash! Ash! I have to tell you -) he stopped mid-sentence. (Oh no….)

There was no sign of him. In fact the bed was empty of him. The covers were on the floor as if the man was in a hurry and the door was ajar. Even his pokéballs were gone. His Pokémon League hat lay on the bedside table where he put it last night. He picked it up with his paws and shed tears for his missing trainer.

**Scene change Scene change Scene change Scene change Scene change Scene change Scene change**

"TOGEPI!" Misty bolted up in her bed as she woke up breathing hard and sweaty, not to her own voice but to her little Pokémon pulling on her arm and asking her something.

(Mommy, mommy. wake up. Why were you shouting out my name?)

"N-no reason, sweetie. I just had a bad dream" she lied. She had seen him in her nightmare- had seen two different people injure him greatly. _It was just a stupid nightmare, Misty. It wasn't real. It wasn't real. But it felt so real and terrible'..._ It was too awful to tell him about what she'd seen and she knew she would never tell a soul asides from writing it in her diary . Luckily for her now that the dream was over the very specific details were slipping away like water through her fingers .

Her rapid heartbeat and breathing went back to normal after a few minutes. "Did I wake you up?" she looked at him and he shook his head "then what's the matter,"

(I was sleeping when I heard you muttering and Pikachu crying) Togepi told her (Why's he crying?)

"I don't know. Let's find out," she said as she scooped him up in her arms, got out of bed, put a bathrobe over her clothes as she had fallen asleep in them the night before, opened her door and went to find him. As she walked, a knot in her stomach grew tighter with every step she took but she didn't know why- She just had a bad feeling. ._ Why do I have a bad feeling about this?'_

They found Pikachu in the guest-room. "What's wrong, Pi-" she stopped as she turned on the lights and her worst fear was confirmed. 'No!'

(Look! Daddy's gone!) Togepi cried as he pointed to the vacant bed and deep down inside, she felt a pang of horror as she recalled what she told him before she had fallen asleep crying: "Sometimes I wish that you would just disappear from my life forever!"

She knew they didn't agree sometimes and fought a lot, like about how who got them lost and his training methods, etc. she never knew what she'd do if something really happened to him. She guessed that he saw her as a sister and he was like a brother. Over the years that brother/sister relationship had developed into friendship. Then without her noticing it blossomed into a huge hidden crush he mostly likely didn't know about which made her stay with him. Her jaw dropped as she saw Ash's hat in Pikachu's paws. _'His lucky hat! He'd never leave it behind..._

Pikachu told her what had happened. (And after the man l-left i- i went up here to wake Him up to tell him about the man. he was g-g-gone) he choked. Misty could tell he was very distressed so she held him in her arms. They sobbed for what seemed like awhile.

A thought came into her head "Wait a second" she suddenly said, "If that man said that you'll be his soon-

(Then he's got to be Jessie and James' boss. you know the one they try and fail to impress) Pikachu finished the sentence for her (he probably thought I was in a pokeball. that's why they're gone). He shuddered

(And Officer Jenny forgot to take Meowth with her.) Togepi said. They all grinned, especially Pikachu. The cat would know what happened. All it would take to get it out of him would be a little incentive.

**Scene change Scene change Scene change Scene change Scene change Scene change Scene change**

"I ain't tellin' ya where he is. an' dere's no way yer going make me" Meowth replied, staring at Misty from where he had been tied to a chair in the locker room.

"Staryu, Dewgong, Corsola, Starmie, Full Water Gun!" She ordered with a hint of anger in her voice. The force of the sub-zero temperature water threw Meowth back into a locker fifteen feet away, breaking the ropes.

The cat woozily shook the water off his fur as he got up. "I hate watah, especially wet watch. I still ain't talkin'. Did someone get da number of dat Water Gun?" Meowth muttered as Pikachu came up to him.

(Where is he?) He asked.

"I don't know who yer talkin' about. All I know is dat he's on some airship-" Meowth stopped mid-sentence. _'Uh oh, I just let myself out of da bag,_

(Who took him, Meowth? I can do this the easy way or my way) Pikachu declared. Meowth felt around for the rubber bag he had brought with him.

"What's this for?" Misty held the rubber bag up

"Uh Budderfree collectin'?" Meowth lied. Misty, Pikachu and the other Pokémon snorted with laughter

(If that's true, then I'm a Magicarp and you've been chasing us just to give Ash-) Pikachu's eyes looked wet for a second as he said his trainer's name, (back his wallet he dropped in the Viridian City Pokémon Cen-Hey!

While Pikachu had been talking, Meowth had snatched the bag out of Misty's hands and flung it over him. "Gotcha! I finally bagged me a Pikachu!" Meowth laughed as Pikachu struggled to get out.

(Let me out!) He tried to shock it while Meowth secured the opening shut.

"Dat's not gonna work." Meowth stated and he stopped

(I'm going to get out of this bag and kick your tail. Then I'm going to give you the Thundershocking of your life)

"Oooh, I'm sooo scared," Meowth mockingly said as he to haul the bag forward when he saw Misty, Staryu, Starmie, Corsola and Dewgong block the door. Togepi tried to block his way but Meowth just pushed him out of the way. "You aint gonna to shock yer way outta dat bag. Dat bag is one hundred percent rub-" he screeched to a stop a half-inch away from Dewgong, her horn pointed at his throat. "Err, nice sharp horn ya got dere," he said uneasily, glancing down at the sharp horn a few inches from skewering his throat.

(Flattery gets lowlife fleabags like nowhere) she said, her eyes narrowed, (no souvenirs asides from badges allowed at this gym) she motioned toward the bag. (Now turn around before I turn YOU into shiskabob) he did just that and then she used her Horn Drill attack to slice the bag open, freeing Pikachu. Meowth heard him charging up and he ran about the room.

(Meowth, look behind you! It's a huge ball of yarn) Dewgong cried and he stopped,

"ooooh Yarn! Where? I don't see no-eeek!" he turned around and found himself facing Pikachu.

(Thanks) Pikachu called over his head to her (I asked you, you tried to snatch me yet again. Now I'm at the end of my rope. You know where Ash is, Meowth I know you-. Hey! Where do you think you're going?)

"Uh...Da little kittens room?" he said, hoping Pikachu wouldn't notice that he was trying to walk away. He started to slink away toward the exit.

But the mouse quickly ran over to him and stepped on his tail. (Forget it furball. no you don't) the electrical pouches on his cheeks started crackling with electricity. The cat realized with horror that his fur was still wet. He'd had enough experience with the twerps to know what that meant.

"Ya wouldn't." his eyes went wide as he thought hard about how NOT to get fried. "Did I say dat someone took da twoip? What I meant ta say is dat he left willingly" he fibbed. "Yeah. Dat's it. I saw him as he was leavin'. He passed me an' den he told me dat he had had enough of da moronic girl who's been a real witch lately -"

(He'd never say those things to Mommy) Togepi interrupted. Misty looked fiercely at the cat.

"But he knew how tired ya was from yesterday" The cat pointed at Pikachu with a claw, "So he told me ta take ya to him when ya woke up. So what do ya tink? " Pikachu, Misty, Dewgong, Corsola, m, and Togepi all looked suspiciously at Meowth for a second. _Tauros crud _he thought. _'Dey isn't fallin' fer it at all._

(THIS IS WHAT I THINK ABOU THAT, YOU LIIIAR!) Pikachu yelled out as he gave Meowth the Thunderbolting of the cat's nine lives.

"AAAIIIEEEE! OKKAAY YOOOUUU WINN! I-I'LLL TELLL!" he shouted after a few minutes. Pikachu stopped shocking him. He fell to the floor, his fur a dark hue of charcoal. _'Dis ain't my day'_

(I'll ask you one last time, Meowth, who took Ash. Answer me truthfully) Pikachu asked the cat.

He didn't want to get fried again so he answered truthfully before fainting: "Da Boss. He's woikin' wid Lawrence."

Misty, Corsola, Dewgong, Togepi and Pikachu looked at each other. "Who?"

**Scene change Scene change Scene change Scene change Scene change Scene change Scene change**

_'What happened? My head feels like an Onix hit it,'_ Ash thought as he woke up with a huge pounding headache. _Where the heck am I? _He looked around and saw he was in a large sized cell in an enormous room. In the middle there was a dark black chair with its back to him. Ornate vases and paintings were placed along steel-like walls. Something nagged at the back of his mind about this place- it looked familiar . "I have a feeling I'm definitely not in Cerulean City anymore" he said "but where am I?"

"Finally you're awake. Get up boy" Ash heard a familiar voice come from a figure in the chair, which turned around slowly to face him

He gasped when he saw who was in it. "You!"

The man in the chair got up and walked toward him. He had olive-colored hair with ringlets around his ears. His eyes were the color of a Water Stone, but colder. He wore gold studs in his ears and was dressed in clean clothes that might have suggested that he was a rich aristocrat. He recognized him immediately as the man who had tried to capture Lugia throwing the balance of nature completely out of control and nearly destroying the world in the first place, about two years ago.

"Yes, Chosen One, I, Lawrence Juardian de Villiyon II or too many Collector. All my life, I have attempted to add Lugia to my collect-"

"Pokémon are living creatures, not things to be collected like dolls. And I have a name" Ash interrupted, but Lawrence went on as if he hadn't spoken,

". World's most powerful Pokémon with the best bait, you' he smiled at him evilly.

Ash felt like someone Mega Punched him in the stomach. "Keep your dirty stinking hands off my Pikachu!" he yelled at him from his jail. 'What is it with everyone wanting him?'

The madman continued. "Why on earth would I even want that filthy runt of yours, boy? It's too weak for me"

He gave Lawrence a dirty look. _How dare he offend Pikachu like that, calling him weak and a filthy runt_ he thought. "No, your friend's Togepi is what I desire."

"Huh? What do you want with him?" he asked of his captor as he gripped the cell bars with his hands, hoping that they would bend at least a little. Nothing happened so he unclenched his hands from the bars. "And how come you're interested in him? I thought you were obsessed with Lugia."

"I still am boy. But that little Pokémon will help me get it. There is a myth around it. If it is given to a very powerful and worthy person, then it will give that person eternal good luck and fortune. It has even been said to make a person's greatest desires come true. You may have escaped me out of luck the last time but it's about to end. With it, I will have every single legendary in my control because it will pinpoint their every move."

"You? A worthy person? Riiiiight and geodudes fly. Togepi won't leave Misty. He thinks she's his mother". Ash pointed out.

"I'll get her to part with it" Lawrence replied. "Even if i have to do it by force."

Ash couldn't believe what he was hearing: Lawrence was so fixated with obtaining Lugia he was going to separate Togepi-who was still just a baby Pokémon - from the only mother he knew. _'A treasure detector. 'That's all Togepi is to him_

"See, she'll want to rescue her boyfriend, that's you by the way" his face turned the hue of a Rapidash's mane when Lawrence said "boyfriend".

"I'm not her boyfriend." Ash replied through gritted teeth but Lawrence ignored him

"So she gives Togepi to me in exchange for you… which I won't honor. You're right where I want you. From what I've …heard that rat of yours will want come with her. " His heart plummeted at Lawrence's next words. "So before it has even a second to free you my…helpers snatch it and give it to a wonderful organization called Team Rocket-"

Ash laughed at this, one didn't have to be as stupid as a Magicarp to know that Team Rocket was NOT a wonderful organization "...And then they have that rat of yours."

Lawrence ended and walked back to his chair. Ash turned his back to him, sat on the cold floor, and got a small photo out of his vest pocket and looked at it. Ash was looking at Misty holding Togepi and himself Pikachu on his shoulder. He was holding the Orange Island League Trophy with one hand and doing his victory pose with the other. It had been taken just after he had beaten Drake, the leader of the Orange Crew. His Dragonite was so tough it had beaten Tauros and Charizard but a few electric attacks from Pikachu wore it down before he used a Thunder attack while positioned on the dragon's head finally defeated.

He sure packed a punch for such a small guy; from all the exercise he got being outside his pokeball and the fact Ash used him in battles a lot. As a result, he hardly ever lost, even against ground and rock types, which electric types were weak against.

Ash's eyes began watering at the thought of him. Pikachu, his best non-human friend and the strongest Pokémon he had, would be taken away by the one organization he had to constantly protect him from.

"Don't give up hope, Pikachu; I never gave up when Team Rocket would take you from me. Do the same for me, buddy. I promise I'll find a way back to you... I hope', Ash thought as a tear splashed onto the photo. As he concentrated on the memories the picture brought up, he heard a voice he easily recognized since he had countless number of battles with this person that he could pick out her voice from a crowd

"What's the plan?" Jessie's distinct voice floated over to Ash's prison. He sat up, put the photo away, went up to the cage bars and listened.

"The girl gives me Togepi for my collection. After Chosen one "he pointed to Ash, "sees the runt, you two stuff it into my cage before it has a chance to run and guard it. When I capture Lugia, a certain boy" He glared at Ash, I will not stop me again. Soon your boss arrives to pick up his present in return for the boy. Now shoo..."

They left. Lawrence came over to his cell with a computer, ready to call the gym in one hand and a sharp knife in the other. He smiled evilly as he put the computer on a desk that had appeared next to Ash's cell, opened it up, pressed some keys and waited. While it connected he grabbed Ash's shirt by the collar with one hand and pulled it through the bars until the cold cage bars were touching the boy's face.

Misty's face appeared on the screen. "Cerulean Gym, Misty Water- Holy Mew! Ash, is that you? Where are you? Are you okay?"

_'No I'm not, I'm trapped on the airship of the man who tried to capture Lugia two years ago and now he wants to get revenge on me. Call Officer Jenny quick and inform her that there's a kidnapper on the loose and I know who it is. It's Jessie and James' boss!'_ Ash wanted to say and even thought it but looking at the blade in Lawrence's hand he decided to keep his mouth shut. He nodded, tears as big as Pokéballs flooding down his face

"Where are you?" she asked

"On my improved, indestructible airship" Lawrence said.

"Who are you?" Misty asked Lawrence, if trying to remember who he was."I know I recognize you from somewhere." she shivered as she recalled his cruel voice and him torturing her poor Togepi in her nightmare.

"Let me jog your memory, girl: Well, this certainly is a pleasure or a rather unexpected one ."

Misty's jaw drooped as she remembered him from encountering him two years ago.

XxX flashback scene XxX flashback scene XxX flashback scene XxX flashback scene

"What do you think? Moltres, the Bird of Fire and Zapdos, the Bird of Lightning. . Of course without Articuno, it's not a complete set, but-" the aristocratic looking green haired man began.

Misty was sickened by this strange man's talk. How could anyone think of Pokémon like they were mere objects! It was sickening! They were living, breathing creatures, alive as everyone else caught in the hanging cage. This strange man was talking about the legendary birds as if they were nothing more than a group of antique dolls or a set of books. She had enough of this. "That's disgusting! The way you talk, it's like Pokémon are things to collect, like dolls or stamps. What kind of trainer are you?" Misty interrupted from the hanging cage that she, Tracey, Meowth, Jessie, Pikachu, Ash, Melody and Togepi, and James were all in.

He shook he head at this and then replied. "I'm afraid I'm not a trainer, young lady. I am merely a collector. I began my collection with a Mew card and now I have all this. Legendary Pokémon have always been my passion and soon my collection itself will be legendary."

XxX flashback ends XxX flashback ends XxX flashback ends XxX flashback ends XxX

"Y-You're that collector we stopped from trying to get Lugia in the Orange Islands. I thought that the Aeroblast destroyed your ship."

"It did, but why don't we save that for later. How rude of me, I haven't told you my name yet. It's Lawrence Juardian de Villiyon II, or as many people dub me the Collector. Say hello to your boyfriend first." Lawrence said.

Misty and Ash's faces both went as red as two Slugmas. A second later, Misty became her regular self again. "Do you know how badly Pikachu has been worried sick about you?" she asked him and before Ash had a chance to speak," she continued. "He's coming right now."

A minute later, Ash saw his face fill up the screen and he also had been crying.

(Is-Is it you?) He said as he put one paw on the screen and Ash put his left hand through the bars and on the screen as if to touch his paw.

Its okay, Pikachu" Ash reassured him as he removed his hand. Lawrence pushed the cold blade across his throat with the other where a thin line of blood trickled down. Misty's face reappeared

"You better not hurt him! He still... owes me a bike" she said her face a little pink.

Ash's face dropped. _'Why did she have to bring that up again? That bike saved Pikachu and me from those stupid Spearows?'_

"I'll do anything! Just-Just don't hurt him" she said.

"My ... helpers will be arriving at the gym soon to take you to my stationary ship. No police or anything of the the rat and the togepi with you or the brat gets fed to the Tentacruels!" Lawrence shut the computer off, pushed a button and the desk and the computer both disappeared into the floor. He then let go of Ash's shirt and shoved him back into the cell, where the boy landed roughly on the floor.

he groaned. _i have to get help. maybe if i can release noctowl outside the window pane she - _Lawrence started to walk away but turned his head back to look angrily at him, as if he had just read his captive's thoughts. He got a small remote out of a pocket and pressed a button on in. the teen heard a crackling sound from the bars.

Ash shuddered as crackling electricity covered the cage bars, the bars on the windows and the space in between the bars. _He's cut off any escape._

"Don't even try using your puny Pokemon to escape or get help. Nothing can get past through those electrified bars now unless i decide to turn off the power. if i even see you try anything I'll place you and your Pokemon in impenetrable force field cages. You remember my force field cages don't you boy? The diamond shaped force fields that brought Zapdos, Moltres , you and the others here two years ago from Fire Island? " the teen gulped and slowly nodded. "well.. let's just say This time there won't be any escape from them.. just like there is no escape from your cell. I've had … help modifying them."

Ash gulped. "h-h-help? From wh-wh-who?"

"oh you'll meet him soon. If you try to ruin anything, I will not hesitate to kill you. So get comfortable." he ended with a laugh as he walked away.

**Scene change Scene change Scene change Scene change Scene change Scene change Scene change**

Back at the gym, Misty was panicking. "What are we going to do?" she asked Pikachu, eyes moist with tears. "It's a trap but we don't have a choice."

(I don't know) he said sadly and started to cry. He was supposed to protect Ash, not let him get kidnapped. (It's my fault that man took you, Pikapi.) Pikachu said between tears. (I'm sorry! I should have been taken instead) he felt one of Misty's hands touch his shoulder, so he stopped crying and looked up at her

"It's not your fault, Pikachu. Sometimes things happen but that does not mean it's anyone's fault." She said but in her head she thought, _'except mine since I told him to disappear from my life last night. I never got to tell him that I didn't mean it and that I love him'_

(Like when Entei took Daddy's mommy and he held himself wesponsible, wight Mommy?) Togepi asked Misty, who nodded

"That's right, but he didn't sit around crying over it. Besides, Ash would want you to be strong."

Pikachu took what Misty had just said into consideration for a few minutes Whenever Jessie, Meowth and James would catch him, and he kept telling himself that Ash would follow them endlessly just to get him back. He never cried over that, no matter how many times they were separated. It was just like that but with their roles reversed. Now he had to be strong for Ash.

(M-m-mommy? ) Togepi asked as she picked him up. (why does th-that mean man want you to bring me?)

"I don't know." she admitted as she remembered her vivid nightmare- how Lawrence wanted to use him to find Legendaries and how he'd tortured him. She hugged him tightly. "I'm not so sure why he wants me to bring you but I'm not letting you out of my sight."

(I don't l-like him mommy . He s-scares me..)

"he frightens me too," she admitted.

(i don't like him either Togepi.) pikachu added.

Then they heard a balloon fall to the ground outside and Togepi, Misty, Meowth- whom they had been keeping a closer eye on- and Pikachu rushed outside "What do you two morons want now?" Misty yelled as

Pikachu saw the Meowth -shaped balloon on the ground, his fur bristling with anger at them as Meowth ran over to them "Haven't you done enough already? How did you get here so fast?"

"Lawrence sent us." James said. "He gave us some kind of one way warp teleporter button".

(These two idiots are his helpers?) Pikachu asked her.

"Unfortunately." Misty said with a disgusted look on her face like she had been force-fed a Muk.

Pikachu got ready to shock James and Jessie. (Give me one very good reason why I shouldn't shock you two so hard that your hair stands up on end permanently) he spoke as Meowth translated. He fought a strong urge to Thunderbolt them right there.

"We know what his plan is. You have to trust us"

"What?"

(How do you -?) The mouse's fur lay flat.

"We have a plan that might trick him and save you ... but you have to believe us." Jessie told him as she moved toward them

Pikachu backed away. He had too many bad experiences with Team Rocket and trusted them about as Ash trusted Gary Oak, his rival, which wasn't saying much. He half-expected Jessie to or grab him with rubber gloves on, stuff him in a rubber bag and run off, but nothing happened.

Misty bent down on her knees down to talk to Togepi and Pikachu. She huddled around the two Pokémon, therefore creating a circle from Meowth, Jessie and James. Pikachu was sure that Meowth was ease dropping and told Misty this. They moved over til they were a good distance away from them and sure they wouldn't be overheard. "Should we trust these three losers?" she asked them, eying the three Rocket members carefully

(We don't have a choice, remember) Pikachu told her.

(How come they want to help us? I thought that they hated us, Mommy?) Togepi asked Misty, who shrugged her shoulders.

"I… don't know"

(They don't seem like they want to hurt us. Maybe they've turned over a new leaf but I highly doubt it) Pikachu told him. (But I still don't trust them. we should have a short-term truce, like the one we had on the S.S Anne. But if they lead us to wherever Ash is and trick us, I'll shock them real well

Misty nodded at this and then got up to face Jessie while James was looking around for something in the balloon's basket She looked Jessie in the eyes, held out her hand and said, "For now, we'll have a temporary truce. No tricks of any sort or I'll hand you over to Officer Jenny after Pikachu Thunderbolts you faster than you can recite your stupid motto. Deal?"

Jessie held out her own hand and shook Misty's as she said, "Deal"

"Here it is! I knew it was here!" James exclaimed as he found what he was looking for and walked toward them.

When he reached Pikachu, he knelt down and opened his left hand. There was a pill in the middle. The tiny, circular pill was a grayish color and Pikachu could make out the words TM # 50 written in the middle.

Jessie and Meowth peered over James' shoulder and when they saw the pill, their faces turned white as snow. "James, how did you get that? Surely it cost plenty?" Jessie whispered.

"Did ya steal it?" Meowth asked. The mouse knew the pill had to be something valuable. "Cause if ya did, ya could have stolen some more items fer us to sell. Are ya sure dat one dat teaches su-"

James faced him with such an intense facial expression the cat shut up stat. "I have my ways. No, Meowth, I did not steal it." he then turned back to Pikachu.

(What is it?) The mouse asked.

"Something that hopefully, will help save the twerp and all of us."

(Are you sure about this?) Pikachu didn't know whether to trust him or not.

"Ya want to rescue dat annoyin' twoip, don't ya" Meowth asked him.

He nodded resisting the urge to accidently shock him. (Don't call him that Meowth- he has a name. And of course I want to save Ash)

"This will give you an ability to do so. Swallow it." James told Pikachu, who took it with one paws and put it into his mouth. It had a nasty taste to it but he swallowed it. His head felt fuzzy for a minute, like there was a Beedrill buzzing around in it.

(What was that? How come my head feels fuzzy?)

"It's a rare move called Substitute. Your brain is just processing how to use it. It will be a part of the plan". James motioned for the others to huddle around them. "Here is the plan..."

**Scene change Scene change Scene change Scene change Scene change Scene change Scene change**

the next day Ash was quietly crying on the floor of his cell when he saw Lawrence make a call on his computer screen so he stopped so that he could listen. A dark shadow appeared on the computer screen.

"So," a cold voice that made his blood run cold spoke. "How does the plan go?"

"Perfect, Giovanni."

The teen shuddered. even the name gave him the willies. He thought he heard it somewhere but couldn't place it as to where.

"I assume those fools should be there soon"

"Should be..."

(Ash! Ash!) That voice! Ash stopped listening to Lawrence and the other man. Only one Pokémon Ash knew called him that. _'It can't be him, could it?_ He got up off the floor and listened . Then he heard another voice, a female human one.

"We're going to get you out of there, Ash. Just stay put and try not to do anything… stupid."

"Misty?" Ash muttered to him even though he knew it was her. No one else insulted him like she did, which Ash guessed, was her way of flirting with him. He got up off the floor and positioned himself next to the single tiny barred window on the wall.

(We're over here! Look over here!) The first voice repeated, a bit louder this time. It had to be Pikachu! It just had to be him.

"What ya tryin' ta do? Blow our cover, ya stupid rat? Dat isn't part of da plan! Yer supposed ta stay quiet an' hidden in here after ya do yer ting!" Ash heard Meowth tell Pikachu. "Yer' gonna get us caught just like dat twoip an' den-YEEEOOOOW!" Meowth yelled as Pikachu shocked him, which shut him up.

He looked out the small cell-like window and saw the familiar Meowth-head shaped balloon. it had been behind a cloud at first which was why he couldnt see it. . As it got closer, he could see Pikachu, jumping up and down On the basket's ledge shouting his name , next to Misty, Togepi trilling in her arms . He waved a paw at Ash so he waved back. Ash wanted to reach out and hold Pikachu in his arms and feel his soft, yellow fur rub against his skin and then hug his secret cush. The ballon was less than a thousand feet away From the ship.

He briefly wondered why his friends were traveling with jessie, meowth and James . he hoped they had a plan to rescue him that didnt involve the Rocket Trio double crossing them. He kept on waving his hand.. not wanting to alert Lawrence his rescuers were close by. The ballon got closer and closer his hopes rising.

Suddenly when it was about three hundred feet away a blast of fire came from the ship's bottom and attacked the balloon, destroying it! As they fell through the air, a long hose came out and rapidly sucked Misty, Pikachu, Togepi, and Team Rocket up like dust being sucked up by a vacuum.

Ash turned around to face Lawrence who had ended his call and had been watching them. "how long have you been w-watching?"

The aristocat grinned. " Long enogh boy. I knew those idiots would come through." He got out of his chair and pushed a button on a remote in his hands as he turned around and walked away. The ceiling above Ash opened up and Togepi, Pikachu, Meowth, James and Jessie fell into his cell onto the floor. "Nice of you to drop in." Lawrence said as he pushed a different button and the ceiling closed up again.

….

(Ash!) Pikachu cried out as he jumped into Ash's open arms.

"Pikachu!" he gave Pikachu a huge hug. "I'm glad you're here. I've been so worried about you, pal, but now I know you're safe," He laughed as Pikachu affectionately but lightly shocked him..

….

Misty landed on the floor outside the cage with a hard THUD. She witnessed the reunion between her her crush and his first Pokémon and felt hope rise in her chest

As Pikachu lightly shocked him, Ash caught her eyes for a minute and nodded the message was obvious: Try to find a way to get us out of this cage as quick as you can.

She got up off the floor and looked around. There on the armrest of a black chair in the middle of the room was a remote with buttons on it. "Bingo." She said to herself as she walked up to it.

_'That was easy… way too easy. '_ She thought as she got to the chair and started to reach down to get it. "that was easy." she muttered .

As she was about to grab it a strong arm tightly grabbed her arm and twirled her around . "oh… I don't think so girl. I wasn't going to make escape that easy."

She looked up and gasped as a pair of cold piercing blue eyes looked into her own. The owner of the hand-Lawrence- had olive-colored hair with ringlets around his ears. He wore gold studs in his ears and was dressed in clean clothes that appeared as if he were extremely wealthy. She struggled to get free from his Iron grip but couldn't. Lawrence's voice hissed in her ear. "Don't try to move or call for help yet..." he hissed in her ear. " i know what you did the first time we met in the orange islands."

"wh-what did i do?" she whispered as she felt her her heart sink. _he knows. lawrence knows i deciphered the legend and saved ash as he and Lugia were heading back from Ice Island._

he smirked." Oh yes girl.. i know You were the one who told the boy he was in the legend and saved him from the water. Apparently you and him are very close..And now." she heard something being taken out of a sheath." I have you as leverage if he tries anything."

She trembled . She looked down and saw another hand holding a knife, -its blade sharp and cold as ice- speckled with dried blood-, under her throat." Now scream.." he ordered in her ear. She couldn't help it- she screamed.

…..

Pikachu felt like the happiest Pokémon in the world right then. It was such a frabjous moment. He was back with the one person he belonged with, Ash- Pikapi, his Pikapi. Pikachu stopped shocking him but Ash kept stroking his fur as if to make sure that that he was not an illusion while Pikachu happily licked his face. Tears fell onto his fur from his face. "I was so frightened, pal. I thought I lost you"

(Me too. I thought you were gone when I saw the empty bed.)

"It's okay. I'm right here." Ash reassured Pikachu but his voice was lacking something, confidence and Pikachu had brought the very thing that would bring it back.

(Ash, I brought your hat) he said as he jumped on to the floor and went over to Togepi, who put the hat in his paws. Pikachu then jumped back into his arms.

Ash took it from him and put it on his head. "Thanks pal."

A loud scream echoed in the room. (Daddy, that man has Mommy!) Togepi pointed fearfully at Lawrence, who was holding his knife under Misty's throat.

"Somebody help me!" she cried out.

Pikachu jumped from Ash's arms onto the floor and began to charge himself up to shock Lawrence but he thrust Misty in front of his body, like a shield as she struggled to release herself without getting cut. "Go on, make your move. If you attack me , you risk having the blade slip into her throat. I'll cut the boy's throat open next. Shock me, I dare you" Lawrence pressured. His eyes dashed from Misty's frightened expression to back Lawrence. "Make your choice,"

The mouse looked back at Misty, who bit her lip as she looked at him . (I…. I just can't. I won't. I can't let him hurt you. ) He didn't want Lawrence to hurt her, so he shook his head

"No. ..My life is ..not worth it. " She said

(Yes it is) he told her. and his fur and cheeks stopped sparking . (I won't hurt my friend. Let her go) Pikachu looked at lawrence as he said this.

Lawrence grinned. He found Pikachu's weakness, for although he couldn't grasp the Pokémon's words his body language was enough evidence. His fur had stopped charging and now lay flat, his tail was drooping and his facial expression looked defeated. He knew he had to take advantage of the victory fast .He stared at Jessie and James as they began to move in front of Pikachu, so as to hide him. "Don't try to fool me." They stood there, frozen. "I know that you idiots were planning on tricking me to rescue him." Ash felt Lawrence's eyes burn into his head as the psycho stared briefly at him then turned his gaze back to James, Meowth and Jessie.. " I know. I'll give you one last chance. Your boss won't like to hear how you bungled even this up, would he? He's on his was here now..I won't tell if you get that rat! Grab it, you downright idiots!" He yelled at Jessie, meowth and James

They were standing in a trance-like state, eyes dashing from him to the knife under Misty's throat back to him again. They snapped out of it.

"Sorry ta do this to ya twoip ,but it's business. " meowth said. The three tried to grab Pikachu but he was too fast for them. Meowth sighed as he watched Jessie and James try to catch the speedy mouse as he ran around the cage and they crashed into one another. He pulled his claws out.

"Dimwits. If ya want something done right, ya gotta do it yerself," He muttered. Then he stuck out his claws and as Pikachu ran past Meowth, the sharp claws slashed his tail. "Whoopsies,"

The yellow mouse yelped in pain as the claws dug into his tail. It felt like someone ripped it clean off! The pain was so great that he was forced to stop. He lay on the floor, blood spilling out of his tail, which was now yellow-red, onto the floor.

"We're finally get you, Pikachu" James, Jessie, Meowth and Wobbufet, who had popped out of its pokéball, laughed as they moved closer and closer to the spot where Pikachu lay on the floor. The mouse panted for breath trying not to whimper at the pain. He had survived scrapes, bruises, Spearow attacks, and Domino's metal rings and much more but this pain was totally agonizing. _Double- crossing snake hearted idiots. _

"Ya ready ta come wid us now?" Meowth snickered, the tips of his claws covered in red from his tail.

(Two words for you, HELL NO!) Pikachu shouted, as he unleashed a gigantic Thunder attack at them.

"Counter attack, Wobbufet!" Jessie commanded.

(Yes mam). Wobbefett's body began to glow purple. The Thunder Pikachu sent them turned around just as it was about to hit them and hit him with double the force of the original attack. _I hate Counter!_

(AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!) He yelled and Ash shouted his name out as he was flung to the back of the cage.

He hit the ship's walls on his right shoulder. The pain- which felt like it had gone through three brick walls-shot through his entire body.. The little mouse Pokémon fell to the floor. Ash was by his side promptly. "Pikachu! Are you okay?"

(I th-think- Ow, my shoulder and tail!) He winced as he tried to stand up but his injured tail and shoulder weighed him down.

Ash knelt down next to him and surveyed the damage. "Meowth's claws ripped right through the skin on your tail and it's bleeding real badly. Can you move it at all?" he asked his Pokémon,

He tried to lift it but the pain was too much. He shook his head. (Barely . It hurts too much and my right shoulder feels like three Steelixs slammed it.) The mouse tried hard not to look at his injured tail.

"I don't think I can use you until we get out of here to the nearest Pokémon Center" he said.

(That's fine with me.) Pikachu said, trying to ignore the pain. Then four shadows fell over them. They both looked up. Jessie, Meowth, James and Wobbufet had surrounded them, cutting off any escape routes. (Traitors. I knew we shouldn't have trusted them) he muttered under his breath.

"Yer cornered twoip. We ain't lettin' ya go unless you give us dat mouse." Meowth gleamed at Pikachu as he told Ash this, slowly inching his way to the mouse.

The teen saw what meowth was doing and ignored the cat's threat. "Don't you even think about it . " he said as he picked the mouse gingerly up, getting blood on his hands in the process and held him protectively against his chest. He looked Meowth in the eye and said, "When onix sprout wings like Pidgeys and fly. He's hurt and in no condition to fight. I got to get him to a Pokémon Center fast and nobody is going to get in my way. If you want Pikachu, you have to get past me first."

The mouse whimpered in pain. "Don't worry," he quietly reassured the mouse. "I'm gonna have Noctowl use Confusion on the window bars to bend them and fly you to the nearest Pokémon Center."

Right as he was about to unclip Noctowl's pokéball from his belt, Lawrence's cold voice stopped him. "Don't try it, boy. If you make any moves, the girl gets it." Lawrence told him.

"Things can't get any worse than this ," Ash muttered. No sooner had he finished saying this, Psyduck popped out of his pokéball and appeared outside of the cage. " "Great ... Me and my big mouth." he added.

…

Psyduck looked around after he had completely materialized from his pokéball and waddled over to the cage where everyone with but Misty was. (Let's see) he said as he looked up at the people and Pokémon in the cage as he counted on his fingers. (The dimwits who couldn't catch a Kakuna)

"I hoid dat, ya dumb dopey duck! We aren't dat dumb! You're da dumb, stupid one" Meowth yelled but Psyduck ignored it.

(And there's Ash and Pikachu and Togepi. That makes uh, um Four?) He finished. Everyone in the cage fell onto the floor. It figured Psyduck couldn't count!

Togepi walked over to the cage bars. (No, six) He corrected Psyduck. (But turn around. Mommy's in trouble) he said fearfully.

(Huh? what do you mean?) He asked. But he saw nothing but fear in their eyes.

"Please. …Help…." He heard his trainer gasp. He slowly turned around. He saw a cream-haired man with ringlets had a knife under Misty's throat. He was taller than her and he glared at Psyduck as if daring him to attack. His eyes, which were a Gyarados blue, seemed not to care if he hurt or killed anyone. Psyduck looked from Lawrence to the knife under Misty's throat to the beyond terrified expression on her face.

_I gotta save her '_ he thought but another thought came into his head: _how in the Pokégods' names am –I - the only Psyduck in the world who can't swim or use his powers on my own- supposed to save his trainer?_

(I can try to) he thought out loud.

"But How can you?" a voice in his head inquired of him.

(Huh? What do you mean? Who or what are you?) Psyduck asked the voice, not realizing he had said this part out loud.

"I'm not telling you what I am, you stupid duck . Im tour reality concious i live in you so in effect I AM you "the voice sneered. "You heard meowth- you are stupid and weak"

(I'm not weak or dumb) he mumbled.

"Oh yes you are. Everybody knows it "The unseen voice responded back in a matter of fact tone.

_'I-I can do Confusion and Disable'_ he thought.

'Yeah right. Only when you have an enormous headache and without it all you can do is a pathetic Tail Whip and a stinky Scratch attack ' the voice laughed coldly. Psyduck felt horrible because he knew that it was totally true. 'Face it! Nobody likes or wants you! You are disgrace to all water types, even the great guardian he. You are so weak and wimpy a Magicarp is stronger than you. Why that trainer of yours hasn't abandoned-"

The duck slammed his repeatedly head into the cage bars. (Get out of my head! I'm- not- stupid! I'm not weak! You're wrong) he yelled at the voice over repeatedly as he began running around the room and hitting himself against the walls and the cage bars as if to push the voice out of his head. (You're wrong! I'm not weak,)

No one heard whatever the voice inside Psyduck's head was saying but everyone saw him beating himself up and telling it to get out of his head . His trainer felt pity as she watched him bruise and injure himself on the objects around the room for about fifteen minutes.

.. Lawrence, who couldn't understand Pokémon speech, laughed, "Isn't that pathetic?" he asked Misty. "That stupid duck of doesn't realize what's going on. It's so dim-witted it's trying to make an exit by banging it's head on the wall despite we are over a thousand feet above the ground and the ship's walls are stronger than steel. If it succeeds, it'll save me the trouble of killing it. It doesn't seem to even care or know that I could kill you with one simple swipe. It can't do anything. It's utterly brainless-"

As much as she hated to admit it Misty knew that it was up to Psyduck- to save her. She had to make him believe in himself and soon. _'That does it! I can't bear this anymore . i have to get through  
Psyduck .I hate to admit it but he's the only one who can save me . _She thought. "Psyduck! Listen to me!" she commanded, cutting Lawrence off, she needed to get to him. "Ignore him and the voice in your head. Please Psyduck. "

(Huh?) He paused, stopped beating himself up and looked up toward his trainer's voice. He was getting really bruised and a little bit of a headache. Misty was begging him to listen to her- that was a first.

"I know I haven't been the greatest trainer to you. But please, listen to me. Don't listen to that voice in your head or to Lawrence! You are smart! You saved the Fuchsia gym's Pokémon from Team Rocket all by yourself you went right for help that time in Celadon City when Team Rocket gave me that nasty makeover and wouldn't let me go -"

"You had to bring that up brat?" Jessie, who returned Wobbufet said loudly. Misty ignored her and continued.

"I'm sorry i called you stupid and dumb all those times. You aren't dumb at all, I know you have great potential deep inside you."

Psyduck was amazed at this: she never paid him that great of a compliment. . _She really believes in me Even though I can't use Confusion and Disable by myself. She doesn't think I'm lame at all_

She continued, her voice shaky, "-but it's your fear that's holding you back. You have that power inside within you. But you're scared. You're scared that you won't be able to do it the right way and I'll-I'll a-a-abandon y-you. That's not true. I would never do that. I don't mind that you are different. You can do it. I just know you can. All you have to do is find a way to unlock it. I know you can. Y-you're the only one who can -"

**WHAM!**

Everyone's jaws fell. Lawrence used his free hand not holding the knife to brutally slap her across the left side of her face. "Shut up brat! It can't understand you. It's a mindless, useless creature that deserves to die," he growled.

She turned her face and everyone saw there was a huge red slap mark on it that was swelling up pretty fast. Psyduck felt rage boil innhis blood, He'd seen and heard enough. He looked down at his webbed hands. _I'll try a Slash attack_. He raised his webbed hands and ran at Lawrence. (Leave her be!) He cried.

Lawrence cut the duck's head with his knife and kicked the Pokémon to one side of the room. "No! Psyduck! Psyduck!" Misty cried.

As he got up Psyduck felt blood roll down his head into his eyes from his forehead where Lawrence slashed him, blinding his vision. She squirmed away from the knife and tried to run over to him, but Lawrence tightly grabbed her right arm. "Let go of me!" she cried fearfully. "Can't you see he's hurt badly?"

Lawrence glared down at her. "Why should i? You made me lose Lugia. I saw you through the telescope talking to that island girl and the boy at the shrine. I was so close and then you had to save him from the water and ruin my destiny! I'm not letting you ruin my plans again even if I have to get rid of you and the boy … permanently. Lugia will be mine and then my destiny will be complete."

Psyduck was downright angry with the strange man holding his trainer. How dare this strange man blame Misty of destroying his destiny! He knew that she wasn't that kind of person. Whatever this Lugia thing was must be important. '_A powerful water type legendary'_ a thought appeared in his head.

_How dare he accuse Misty_! She wasn't that kind of person. He knew that deep down inside she cared for him. He didn't even seem to care that he was hurting her and threatening to kill her. _It's like he's enjoying this! _That was it for the duck. He wasn't the smartest water type but even he had a breaking point. No one threatened Misty and got away with it.

(I TOLD YOU BEFORE: LET US GO FREE AND LEAVE HER ALONE!) He bellowed at the top of his lungs . Before anyone knew what was happening, instinct took over and he ran up and slashed Lawrence's hand, drawing blood. He howled with rage.

He kicked Psyduck again and he was tossed back a few feet away. Misty used this as a distraction to free herself from his grip and ran over to her injured Pokémon. 'Psyduck! Are you okay?" she asked.

He slowly nodded. (I. Think so)

"What happened to your injuries? I thought he slashed you but… the bruises you gave yourself … are gone. "

(Huh?) He slowly got up and felt his head but there wasn't a cut. (I. Don't know. ) something strange was occurring inside him. He clutched his head with webbed fingers. (My aching head. something's off about it.)

She held him protectively against her chest. "Psyduck oh, my Psyduck, " she whispered to him . "Y-y-you just s-saved my life. Thank you. You were so brave to do stand up to Lawrence like that."

_She called me brave. _Psyduck couldn't believe her words. (I did what any Pokémon would do in that situation) he replied blushing and she smiled for a few seconds.

Her face went pale as Lawrence reached for the knife on the other side of the room. He'd had never seen her this terrified. He felt her heart thumping fast as her body shook. "Lawrence's crazy. He's gonna kill me 'cause I tried to free everyone then everyone since we know too much starting with-" she stopped and bit her lip.

She looked over at Ash in the cage.

Somehow new information started coming into the duck's head: he knew who she was talking about- knew she loved him. he even had an idea of why this insane human wanted to kill her. One: to totally break Ash and show who was really in control. Two: she was the one who figured out the legend meant. but didn't want to say anything. (Me). She looked down, amazed. (Just because I saved you and I stood up to him when he was gonna kill you. Lawrence wants to kill you cause you figured out that Ash was the one i was going to help Lugia and save the world two years ago. Lugia keeps the three titan's powers in harmony)

She nodded. "How did you know all that?"

He shrugged (I dunno. I just.. did). Something was changing inside and to be honest he liked it.

(Psyduck, please) Togepi begged quietly from the cage. (Please save mommy from the bad man. You're our only hope. )

The next minute or two seemed like an eternity to Misty as the pokemon closed his eyes .?Her heart pounded faster than before. (Mommy! The bad man's getting closer!) Togepi cried out from the cell. Indeed, the man was less than two and half feet away from her now.

Psyduck Opened his eyes andvlooked over at the people and Pokémon in the cage- they were shaking with fear, too terrified to do anything. Whatever was changing in him was giving him more clarity as to the situation. _'Even if they could call their Pokémon out to save us, it would be too late._

(Psyduck, you got to save mommy and us, you're the only one who can) Togepi said before going over to Ash and Pikachu.

The voice in his head and Togepi were both right. It was time for to make a stand. He had watched this man brutally hurt Misty and had had enough! No more mr. nice duck. (They're right. it's up to me and me alone to save her) he said to myself, as Lawrence got closer.

He got out of Misty's arms. "Psyduck?"

(I know what I have to do.) He told her. He knew he had to act quickly so he got up, walked a few feet away and stood facing Lawrence.

Misty gulped. "Wh-what ...are you doing?"

(Let us all go free now or else) he said.

The man didn't seem to understand him. "Time to die! You first then her!" was the man's reply. He was less than a foot away now, the knife ready to strike.

(Psyduck, watch out!) Pikachu warned.

"What's yer duck doin', twoip? It's going to get sliced like a piece of bread" Meowth asked Misty, who was too horror struck to reply.

(Okay, you asked for it) he whispered as he closed his eyes.

"Get away from there!" she yelled. "Lawrence is-Oh my!"

Her warning was cut off after he suddenly re-opened his eyes. Instead of his vacant like expression his eyes were focused on Lawrence in a very serious looking way. His eyes turned blue as he used his Confusion and Disable attacks. First he stopped hin in his tracks with Disable just as the knife was two inches from his head. Psyduck sent out blue rings of light that froze Lawrence in mid-air as a blue outline covered his body. her jaw dropped. 'This isn't …possible. ' _Holy freaking Miltank! I can't believe he's doing this on his own. I didn't think this was possible .. not for my Psyduck. _

Lawrence was freaking out. "What's happening? Why can't I move?" he panicked as Psyduck lifted him off the floor with Confusion. He held him in mid-air and threw him across the room, the blade falling out of his hands.

Psyduck's eyes went back to normal. She was amazed at what he had just done. "Psyduck I -" she began. Suddenly in front of everyone a bright white light covered the small yellow duck.

"Psyduck, it's… evolving. I don't believe it." Jessie commented as the light around Psyduck grew as his body changed

"Neither can I, Jessie." Ash told her as he watched Psyduck grow.

"Dat's scary, jess. " Meowth said. "You an' 'im tinkin' da same. Next ting ya know, you'll be dressin' 'exactly like 'im and den-" James then hit him over the head which shut him up.

Psyduck felt his body changing as he evolved and he gladly embraced it, growing in both size and intelligence. Once the light had disappeared, he looked down at his new form turned to face Misty. He saw tears running down her face (I-I evolved and I used my powers on my own) he told her in a deeper voice. He then lifted the cage up with his new psychic powers setting everyone free.

…

Misty was awestruck: She was so happy yet couldn't believe it It was such a frabjous moment-: her own Psyduck used his psychic powers on his own without needing a huge headache to save then evolved. He really did care about her.

"Psyduck- I mean G-Golduck used his powers on his own to save m-me." She couldn't stop admiring him. Here was her own Golduck, a Pokémon she wanted since she was a little girl. He was covered in Nidoqueen-blue colored feathers, which replaced the dull yellow feathers of his Psyduck stage. The small, circular jewel on his forehead shone was a bright red it hurt her eyes to look at it. At one hundred sixty nine pounds and standing at five feet seven inches, he was much bigger than his old body and in her eyes he was the handsomest Pokémon she had seen yet.

He was looking over his new body-as if he couldn't believe it himself. but then she saw Lawrence get up off the floor, knife in one hand and get behind the newly evolved Pokemon's back. "Golduck, look out!" she cried as Lawrence lifted the knife he had clutched in one hand/

She was too late to warn him and watched in horror as the knife struck. "Die you blasted duck!"

(what the-AAARRRGGGGHHH!) He howled as Lawrence drew a long deep scar down his back.

"GOLDUCK!" she screamed his name at the same time.

everyone who had been in the large cage was rooted to the spot as red liquid spurted out as he crumpled to the floor.

"Please no. " She stared at him for a few minutes , her mouth wide open- her stomach twisting into a huge tight knot.. it was cruel of fate to do this to her new Golduck… right after he saved her life and evolved just for her . "…Don't be dead. Please don't be dead. "

"Misty. I don't think h-he's -" the boy shivered. "d-dead. i can still see his chest rising . He's just knocked out. " Ash pointed out.

(A-and I can hear him breathing) Pikachu added., the tightness and knot in her stomach vanished.

Lawrence kicked him aside like a dirty napkin. "Now That takes care of that." He as he fixed his eyes on the terrified humans and Pokémon. "All of you better obey me without question or else. Anyone else defies me, anyof you- I'll kill you one by one, starting with that one," he glared at them then pointed at the knocked-out duck with a crazed look in his eyes.

No one had the nerve to stand up to him- they were petrified of what he might do.

…

Soon Jessie, James and Misty were tied up tightly while Meowth and Togepi were in tiny cages near them. Lawrence had Ash, lying on the floor next to him, and tied up so tightly he could hardly move. Luckily Pikachu fled- when Lawrence's back was turned getting the ropes and cages-Ash placed him down the floor and told him to run and find a way to escape.

Lawrence was furious. "Where is it?" he snarled and fixed his eyes on Misty and walked toward her. She was sweating sweat drops big as Ultra Balls as he approached her, bent down on one knee and put the red-splattered knife under her chin. "Tell me where that rat is if you value your life or that duck's." He threatened her.

She glanced at Golduck's limp form across the room, her heart beating in her throat, _'would He really kill him? I wouldn't put it past him'_. "I-I don't know," she admitted.

He raised his free hand into the air as if to slap her face again. "You're lying, you b-"

She braced herself for the blow, but it never came. (Don't hurt mommy, you bully! If I wasn't trapped then I would go over and stomp on your foot) Togepi cried out from his pen as he attempted to tackle it open but failed. (Oww..)

She let out a long breath then looked over at Togepi, amazed at what he had just said. "Wh-why y did you say that, Togepi?"

(I don't want anyone to hurt you. I'd do anything to make you don't gets hurt.)

"Thanks. You just saved my life." Misty said.

Lawrence, who listened to her reply, removed the knife from her throat and lowered his hand. He grinned evilly as he stood up walked back over to where Ash lay on the floor knelt back down so they were face to face. "Thanks to that Togepi wanting to save your girlfriend-"- her face went cherry-red when he said the last word, "I know how to get that rat back here." He put his knife under Ash's throat. "Make it come back."

"N-No."

"What do you mean by no, boy?" Lawrence questioned

"I-I mean just that. I' m not going to l-lure him b-back so you can stuff him in a c-cage. " he replied. Misty detected panic in his usually confident voice since he was stumbling over his words. "I don't see why e-everyone w-wants him. He isn't shiny or has anything that m-makes him d-different f-from other Pikachus. Can't you get your own? Why do you even want him if I'm the person who prevented you from getting L-Lugia?"

Lawrence removed the blade from h is throat, seized the hat off his head, stood up and held it high in the air. Then in front of them he sliced it to ribbons. 'Not my lucky hat" Ash said as the red and white pieces of fabric fell in the air onto the floor one by one. Within a matter of minutes his hat had been reduced to nothing more than slices of fabric and the red brim . it seemed that Ash's self-confidence was destroyed along with the hat. Misty looked over at his crushed facial expression_. 'His lucky hat, ruined. I can only imagine how much that hurt him_

"I could kill you as easily as I slashed that thing," Lawrence pointed at the fabric with distain like it was a pack of Muks. Ash bit back tears .His lucky limited edition Pokémon League hat, torn to shreds. He smiled evilly as he knelt back down to face Ash. "As for why I need it, I'm not telling." he made a cut on Ash's throat near a line of dried blood with the wasn't enough to do major damage but to show who was really in charge here.

She saw dots of red splash onto the floor but her crush just whimpered and didn't say anything. The mad aristocrat took the blade from the teen's cheek and moved it to his arms where he started making cuts. Lines of red appeared and though she could see the pain in his eyes but he bit his lip instead.

"Still won't talk. brave boy.. but the brave ones are often the first to crack under torture. How about if I do... This?" Lawrence smirked as he removed the knife and put it against the terrified teen's cheek.

"Tell it to come back now." He hissed as he made a line into the soft flesh . "whoops.. My blade slipped. "t he reaction was just as he wanted: the teenager let out a loud hair-raising scream as red trickled down his cheek.

**Scene change Scene change Scene change Scene change Scene change Scene change Scene change**

_Gotta be a way out or a hiding place _Pikachu thought as he ran fast as he could down a long curved hallway- he had searched nearly the whole ship with no luck. He almost ran past a large window but instead of running past he stopped in front of it, to catch his breath. He looked through it and saw a huge black helicopter parked on a launch pad next to the ship with a big red R painted on the side. An umber-haired man with a Persian got out of the jet and looked right at him. Something about this man terrified him out of his fur- there was something about that human he didn't like.

He ran away from that window as fast as he could into the nearest room and tried to catch his breath. In the middle of the room was a huge computer that was flashing a holographic picture of Ash on its screen with something written under it. He moved closer to read it. (Target: Chosen One. Real name: Ash k -) he began but before he could go on, he heard a blood-curling scream and his ears perked up. _He is in trouble! And worse than dimwitted Rocket dolt trio trouble_

A second scream pierced the air. "Come out, come out from wherever you are. I have these apples for you. " Lawrence called" I won't hurt' -"

"Don't listen to him, Pikachu!" Ash pleaded. "g-Get everybody else out of here. At the very least get off this ship f-f-forget me. It's my fault I dragged everyone into-"

"There's nowhere to hide on this ship" Lawrence interrupted. "and we're way above ground."

"I know what his plan is! "

"If you come back now, I'll let you and him go" Lawrence called

"Don't come back! D-don't worry about me. " Ash cried.

"Shut up!" Lawrence scolded. "You're not supposed to blab!"

"It's a trap!"

Lawrence growled. " Shut it brat! You can't see him if you don't come back."

"Once you come back h-he's g-gonna stuff you in a cage and give you-"

"I said to shut up, you filthy brat!" Lawrence shouted.

**WHAM!**

With his sensitive ears the mouse heard the brutal slap to his trainer's face and his cry of pain as he was thrown to the floor- as clearly as if he'd been in the next room over . He was torn, he needed help but how was he going to save Ash without endangering himself? There was something different in his voice, something he was lacking that was there before. _'It's like he lost his confidence or- or'-. _It hit the little mouse hard

(No. His hat!) It was what ash considered his lucky charm as he hardly took it off. He suspected that it also gave his confidence and ego a large boost. In fact the only way Pikachu got ash to go to Fire Island two years ago was by taking his hat and playing keep-away until he agreed. Pikachu knew without much confidence Lawrence would bully him to talk or torture him!

(I have to save him) he told himself. There was another loud scream_. 'How am I going to rescue him and the others without Lawrence seeing me?'_ he thought. (But it's not like I can clone myself-wait a minute!)

He recalled what James had said about the weird pill he gave him the previous day at the Gym: "to trick Lawrence to free the twerp, just concentrate hard. He'll think your substitute is you, at least until it fades away."

_'I hope this works' _he thought then he concentrated. Instantly there was another Pikachu next to him-a mirror image of him right down to the injured tail. He felt as if half his energy was gone. (Go to the man with the knife.) He told the substitute. It nodded and ran toward Lawrence's voice,

.

Once it left, he waited a few minutes before he sniffed the air with his nose and found the scent. He tracked the scent -slowly shocking security cameras along the way with weak Thundershocks, so Lawrence wouldn't find out that the mouse he had wasn't real

He found himself at the back of the room he came from. Lawrence had trapped his copy into a cage and was now boasting to Ash, who thought the mouse in the cage was really was him. Out of the corner of his eye as he snuck toward the humans, he glanced at his best friend and almost cried out. There was a swollen slap mark on one side of his face as well as a red line on his cheek. Under his jaw there were lines of dried blood. Cuts were on his arms where Lawrence's knife hacked into the flesh. He longed to help Ash but he couldn't risk blowing the plan. Ash had to believe that his clone was he or else all was lost.

Pikachu saw the copy flicker inside the cage and knew he didn't have much time left. So he went behind the ropes binding the humans and started chewing it loose with his teeth. He looked up and saw that his duplicate was buying him some time by biting the cage's bars with its teeth while Lawrence was laughing at its pathetic attempts to free itself.

"Can't you get dat rope off faster?" Meowth asked Misty, James and Jessie from his cage as they tried.

"We're trying but it's too tight," Misty admitted sadly.

"Stupid slow humans" Meowth muttered. "If I wasn't in dis cage I would slashed dem ropes apart"

"What's that about stupid, slow humans Meowth?" She glared at him.

(Look) Togepi said from his cage as the ropes binding the humans fell to the ground, freeing them. Misty turned and saw Pikachu, catching his breath and looking tired, behind her. Lawrence hadn't become aware of this yet.

"Pikachu" she mouthed. "Is that really you? "

(Course... it's me) he panted. (You think… i'd. actually want to, get caught)

She gave him a huge hug. " then the one in the cage be the fake. Looks like Jessie, Meowth and James' plan worked ... for once."

.

Narrator: Talk about an exciting ending! Pikachu freed Misty and Team Rocket, but how can they save Ash with Lawrence right there? Who was the man in the helicopter? More in the exciting conclusion!

To be continued.

Author's notes: did you see Psyduck's evolution coming? I guessed it would take something like that to get him going plus I wanted him to have his time to shine. Could you believe Jessie Meowth and Jessie actually them helped out? The part when ash sees Pikachu, who waves and he returns the wave is and homage to 2002's **_Lilo and Stitch_**. Aren't I evil, ending it in a cliffie like that?

Meowth: yeah, ya sure are WC.

James: Can you believe what she did?

Jessie: Now our reputation will be ruined since we actually helped the twerps in the story!

Meowth: what will our loyal fans tink of dis?

WC: blockheads {gets out a mallet and pounds them flat}: Listen you dimbulbs your fans won't think anything less of you after this story.

Meowth: but we're da bad guys! We aren't da-

WC {bears sharp claws at him}: I can use you for a scratching post. so Considering how I control what happens, you'd better not question my authority or its target practice time. Understand, {Glares at them}

James, Jessie and Meowth {cowering}: yes, mam.

Meowth: does dat mean we're going to get a bigger part in yer next story?

WC: {whacks the trio away her per powerful tail}: once a dolt rocket trio.. alway a dolt rocket trio! How will everyone escape? Will Lawrence see he has a fake Pikachu? Check out the next part if you want to know the answers to those questions

To be continued


	3. Pokemon the Movie 2000 II Part 2

Pokémon the Movie 2000 II: Lawrence's Revenge Part 2 by WyldClaw

Plot: first off I don't own any of the characters in this fanfic asides from Lawrence's surname . I never did/ never will. Flames reviews will be used to toast s'mores/ keep warm during the winter . Brock isn't in this story but there is a bit of a cameo by a legendary near the end of the story. Which one? If you want to find out, you will have to read it. I don't know the last name of the baddie in the second fil, so I've given him the name Juardian Le Villiyon - a very lame pun on the words 'the villain', which naturally he is. I couldn't come up with a better surname. Giovanni does make an appearance in this fanfic but i made him extremely coldhearted and evil. How so? Well... You will have to read on to find out. This part has Ash and misty love- AAML aka Ash and Misty love but it's also a but darker what with blood, harsh violence, pokeabuse, evolution/ possible death of a character so it's what gave this story a heavy rating.

Warning, there's a really sad part near the end of the second part, so you might want a few tissues near your computer screen. . The Pokédex entry from Electric Shock Showdown is in bold. I also don't own the flashback lines from Electric Shock Showdown or the first episode I don't own 'The Time Has Come (Pikachu's Goodbye)' song lyrics, which are in **bold**. Just pretend the song is playing in the background while all the memories are going through Ash's head. I also don't own the flashback lines.

The other things to keep in mind are: " " are humans talking while Scene change is just that. Italics are thoughts. Mommy and Daddy are Togepi's names for Misty and Ash. () Are translated Pokéspeech however Lawrence can't understand Pokémon asides from Meowth There's a few exemptions-one where Meowth translates it, one would be very vulgar, one is a cry of pain and finally one where you'll have to use your imagination. I greatly recommend you read the first part. Please read and review.

To quote midway the original Pokerap "Break time's over! Here we go!"

Last edited:october 2020

Narrator Recap: When we last left our heroes, the Lugia-obsessed psychotic Lawrence Juardian Le Villiyon II had them trapped on his ship where he tried to kill Misty but Psyduck evolved to save her life. Thanks to a TM James gave him Pikachu was able to use Substitute, a rare move where the Pokémon using it makes an exact replica of itself for a bit, but it drains their energy by half. He has triumphantly freed Misty, James, Meowth, and Jessie and Togepi with his copy being trapped in a cage by Lawrence, who thinks that he has the real one. lawrence has Ash tied up next to his so how will the others free him?. Let's find out what happens next...

XxX XxX

Pikachu held back tears as he viewed the reunion between Misty and Togepi as she freed him from his incarceration. (Mommy!) He squealed happily as she picked him up with both arms.

"Togepi." she said as she hugged him tight, afraid that Lawrence would hurt him if she let go. "Are you okay?"

He nodded. (I-I think so.I don't wanna be 'round that m-man after what h-he did to..) He trailed off as he glanced over to where Golduck's form was. she followed his gaze to where the unconscious injured Pokémon lay for a few heartbeats before he turned his attention back to her.

She also looked away from her poor Water Type was. She was terrified for his safety. "I… don't blame you." she admitted.

(H-he's beyond awful.)

She shook at the memory of her nightmare with Lawrence torturing the baby Pokemon. . "Th-that's putting it nicely."

(M-mommy.. you're shaking.)

She made herself stop trembling. "it's just everything th-that's happened so far. I won't let him harm you."

(N-now that we're free ..h-H-how are we gonna save -)

A tiny quick gasp-like a scared coo of a young pidgey fledgling-came from behind them and they turned their heads around. Misty's heart pounded fast in her throat as she saw the position her secret crush- who'd made the noise was in. . T. He was being forced to stand up since both his arms and legs were tied with thick bands of rope from Lawrence. the aristocrat was staring wild eyed them, his reddened blade right against Ash's throat with his free hand while the other forced the boy to stand. The teen couldn't really speak or cry out lest the blade dig into his throat.

"What a sweet reunion. It makes me sick". A sardonic voice came from next to Lawrence,. The voice belonged to a stranger, who had entered the room quietly.

he was a slick umber-haired man whose voice made Pikachu's blood run ice-cold. Misty stood up in front of him as the man looked toward them, eyes like a searchlight, looking for him. He peered his eyes through the gap in her jeans for a second and nearly cried out with horror as his eyes went wide. The man's voice, scent and physical shape were the same as the one who broke into the gym. There was no doubt about it- it was the same human.

The human was dressed in a red suit and a tie held a cage in one hand. He had an atmosphere of evilness around him. He seemed to smell fear, like a Growlithe as he scanned the room with his eyes and then settled on Meowth, James and the man's side sat a well-groomed Persian with a red collar around its neck that hissed at Meowth, who had gotten out of his cage. He gulped as well as Jessie and James. They all trembled at the man, who looked at them angrily. This gave Pikachu the hint man was their boss- the one that they kept trying to impress.

"Uh... hi boss." Meowth nervously said. " Wh-what are you doing here? If we'd known you was comin' we'd a' clean up a bit cause."

"W-we didn't expect you this quickly." James said.

The mouse shivered- his hunch was correct. . _It's their boss! The man they keep trying to get me for. If he sees me trying to save Ash I'm doomed! How am I going to save him without their boss seeing. _. Then an idea hit him. Duh….

" Stuff it, hairball. Where are you idiots hiding it? I know it's here. I saw it with my own eyes." The man asked them angrily ...chewing them out while the mouse was using a slow version of Agility to get Ash away from Lawrence's knife.

...

Even before Meowth said anything Ash knew this man had to be Jessie and James' boss, Giovanni, the man Lawrence called earlier. The coldness in his voice and the way they cowered before him was enough proof. He had heard them mention him but hadn't seen him face to face until now. even next to him the teen could almost feel the power coming f_rom him . _Heck even he was scared.__I'm in deep danger now_'_

"... I thought you three dunces wouldn't mess up for once! I know it's here. I saw it. So where is it?"

_" _We... Don't know where it went," James said.

_"_We were gonna try ta cage him fer ya, boss. Honestly we almost got 'im. But he fought back me and escaped befer we could do anyting. ". Meowth showed his boss his red stained claws. The teen noticed there was fear in the cat's eyes. _Did Lawrence tell Giovanni the truth about them?_ He thought.

"You couldn't even get it? A cat couldn't catch a mouse? Persian would have tracked down that rat within a matter of seconds. "

Meowth flinched. "Well. Ya see-" He went on - trying to lie-but the teenager wasn't paying any attention now. He saw a glimpse of something-or someone-yellow with a bloody tail very slowly making his way from behind Misty's pants. _It couldn't be ... Could it?_

His eyes found hers and he mouthed, "Is that" She nodded. "But-" he mouthed as the mouse picked up speed.

"Later." She mouthed back.

He saw Pikachu getting closer to him, a speedy yellow-red blur, his hopes rising. _Please don't let Giovanni see him. Come on bud_. Persian flicked its tail and hissed at the blur as it jumped into the air to slash the deadly dagger away. Giovanni grabbed him by his neck in midair and held him right under the cage. Ash watched unable to help as Pikachu tried to twist his way out of Giovanni's iron vice like grip. When that failed, he began to charge his energy up but Lawrence put the knife right against Ash's cheek. He saw his own injured pale terrified expression in the deadly red stained blade's reflection look back at him. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," Giovanni told Pikachu, who glared back at him with pure hatred.

(Why shouldn't i?) the mouse's fur bristled with anger.

"If you so much as Thunderbolt me, Lawrence will carve up the boy as a snack for the Tentacruels." He said.

This terrified the mouse, whose eyes went wide with terror as his eyes zipped from Ash to Lawrence to Giovanni then back to Ash. Ash could tell he desperately wanted to fry Giovanni but on the other hand, Pikachu didn't want Ash to be hurt. He stared at Ash with his two small black eyes. Ash nodded. The sparks coming out of the two electrical sacks on his cheeks came up to a stop. Lawrence removed the knife from Ash's cheek and put the knife away.

"Not so tough now, you miserable rat?" Giovanni laughed as he tied Pikachu's paws together with a rope, gagged his mouth, and slammed him into the cage. Pikachu whimpered, or as much as he could with the gag over his mouth as he hit the bottom on his injured tail.

But Giovanni paid no attention to this as he put his free hand into the cage and struck Pikachu hard repeatedly all over his face, which finished his cries. "Shut the hell up. You're a wimp and I absolutely loathe wimps. I thought you'd be impossible to catch according to some people," he glared briefly at Meowth, Jessie and James, who all cringed, "who spoke of your incredible power to me. So much of my money wasted on traps and ways to get you. All I see when I look at you is a pathetic, softhearted wimp. I know the perfect way to get it out of you and it will also harden you up at the same time." The mouse shivered as the crime boss briefly stroked the top of his fur cringing at the touch. "there is such power within you and i know how to unleash it When we get back to my headquarters, I'll make you go through a long, harsh beating session. then some days without food andchained to a wall with shock chains and wires in isolation will remind you about the order of things."He sneered as removed his hand from the cage and locked it.

The coal haired teen's heart pounded quickly in his chest. he was beyond horrified at what the crime boss had threatened to do to his Pokémon. _ That man is beyond cruel and heartless_. his blood boiled as he gazed over at his partner's newest injuries. The yellow mouse's face had reddened slap marks which were puffing up like an angry Jigglypuff.

"H-Hey! L-leave him alone!" Ash heard himself cry out. "Don't hurt my Pikachu! Can't you see he's badly injured ? Let him go!"

The older man stared at the boy with a cold stare. "Shut up boy.. I have waited nearly four years to get my hands on this Pikachu. I don't care if its front paw is twisted It's mine now and I'll do whatever I want to it. "

Pikachu looked up at his trainer, tears forming in his eyes and Ash knew he felt like he had let him down. His small black eyes were begging him to somehow get him out of there. Ashes own eyes were wet with tears. Ash wished that he could get him out of that small prison and hold him, feeling his soft, yellow fur brush up against his face and tell him everything was going to be all right.

Giovanni was smiling evilly, delighted that his plan had succeeded and then turned to face James, Jessie and Meowth, who stared at him like he had sprouted another two heads and Charizard wings. They would go to and length to try to steal the electric type Pokemon but never really threaten to kill his trainer. "and THAT is how you nab a pesky Pikachu." he told his stunned grunts. "now Explain why it took you dimwits this long to do something that I did in a matter of minutes. "

Meowth gulped. "Um da ting is boss-. He's lots smarter den ya tink."

Their boss gazed over at the trio while Pikachu tried to shock open the cage with what little enerGy he had left , but no luck. His electricity merely got absorbed into the cage. " Who… him? " he glared briefly at the trapped teen. "Please, You morons can't do anything right! You should be Ruthless! Merciless and evil like Attila, Hun or butch and Cassidy" Jessie gritted her teeth at Cassidy's name. "You dolts should have gone for his weakness!"

"He's just a kid! W-We c-couldn't dare threaten to K-k…" Jessie trailed off, not wanting to say the rest of her sentence: kill him.

Her boss glowered menacingly at her. "Kill him? Yes you could have! To think YOU are Miyamoto's daughter. She was the ideal Rocket agent- she would do anything to fulfill our wishes- even kill witnesses."

The two other teens looked at one another - they knew nothing about Jessie's past. Giovanni's words seemed to freeze her in place for a few minutes. "Uh Jess?" James asked.

"She ... wouldn't kill…. she. She " Jessie squeaked out in a small voice. "I know she wouldn't…"

"She would, without hesitation. Oh thats right I forgot. You didn't really know her because she abandoned you when you were small to go on a secret mission and got killed on it. I thought you had the same spirit as her but I guess I was wrong. Be glad I'm in a…. forgiving mood. I'm putting you in charge of watching the kid in the helicopter. Even you can't mess that up. Be grateful that you're not getting fired on the spot. Tempting as that is..." He then saw Misty, shaking with fear, as if for the first time. "Kill her and that useless Togepi. She's seen too much. "He told Persian. The cat sprang with its sharp teeth bared.

_…_

The orange redhead felt like Stun Spore was rooting her to the floor. As if watching something on in Slow motion She saw the Persian, its mouth wide open displaying sharp fang like teeth able of digging deep into her skin, run towards her. _I'm going to die. I'm gonna die and I'm never going to be able to tell him my true feelings_

(I don't want to die, Mommy.) Togepi whispered fearfully as he huddled up in her arms. She felt a pang of guilt. She never told Ash she was sorry for yelling at him back at the gym- it had been Lily, Violet, Daisy's fault they'd gotten int the fight in the first place not his. But then she saw Golduck, who had moved from where he had been kicked to.. standing A foot in front of her, like a shield, a bit wobbly. She saw that there was a long red scar, dripping blood down on his back where the knife had struck him. I_s the pain too much for him?_

"Psy- " she corrected herself. "G-Golduck c-can you manage?"

( i think so. )He nodded. He closed his eyes, put his webbed fingers together and become very still. A purple light spread from his fingers across his whole body and she saw the blood and the scar disappear from his back until there was just a faint line left. Then the light disappeared

(Wow, I never thought using recover would work to heal my injuries.) He muttered to himself as he opened his eyes and unclasped his webbed fingers. Then he glared at the running Persian. (Now to take care of this fleabag. HOW ABOUT THIS?) He screamed the last part as he opened his mouth and a blue ball of light appeared, a Confuse Ray attack. The beam blasted out from his mouth and hit the cat whose eyes became red as it became confused.

Persian yowled in pain as it thrashed about the room slashing at illusions the Confuse Ray was forcing him to see. He used a Double Kick to send the cage containing Pikachu out of its master's hand. His cage flew through the air, but a bluish tinge covered the cage as Golduck used his psychic powers to move the cage away from the confused cat and hover above Misty. Once she put Togepi safely on the ground, the cage landed in her arms and the tinge disappeared,

(Pick on someone your own size, you walking flea circus!) Golduck said as he Mega Punched the Persian, who was about to pounce on Togepi with its sharp claws. The cat went flying across the room.

He picked Togepi up and put him in Misty's arms. "Thanks, Golduck" she said and he blushed.

(You saved me) Togepi said

(It was nothing, kiddo) Golduck told him.

She unlocked the cage, untied Pikachu's paws, took the gag off his mouth and let him out, dropping the empty cage. Onto the floor He looked up and licked her happily on her face "A-are you okay?"

He nodded and panted (just. Drained from making the Substitute. my injuries . A-also drained f-from making that Substitute and that e-electrical absorbing cage. I-Im also a bit shaken up)

"I don't blame you. "

.

While this was happening, Giovanni took Ash from Lawrence and was moving toward his helicopter, waiting outside of the ship Ash saw Misty free Pikachu from the cage, but he felt as useful as a Kakuna. "Why don't you and I pay a little visit to Pallet Town, Ashton? I can't wait to see Delia's face again. She loves visits from her baby" Giovanni said in a low voice only Ash could hear, "and if she tries to contact the authorities." he drew a finger across Ash's throat as he said this. They stopped walking once they were about ten feet away from the other human

_'How did he know my full name and who' s Delia?_' he thought. With a jolt like he had been hit with a high-powered Thunderbolt, he realized that Giovanni was talking about his mother! He gave a small gasp as he was slowly frog marched off to Giovanni's helicopter, which was waiting outside.

Pikachu's ears perked up at the sound of the gasp and noticed what was happening. (Ash!) He shakily jumped out of Misty's arms onto the floor And limped a foot towards him. (Let him go you horrible brute!)

The villian stopped at those words. He stood about fifteen feet away from the pokemon Meowth, James and Jessie had spent his money- trying to snatch. There was a near imaginable spark in the air as the two locked eyes with each other for a minute or two . The mouse's black eyes were full of complete hatred as his fur spiked up, the evil Rocket boss' eyes in hungry greed. "I knew I was forgetting… something. " He beckoned the hurt mouse with a jerk of his head. "come on mouse. We can do this the easy way or the hard way."

(Are you utterly.. beyond insane? After you injured me like that, you think I'd go with you?) Pikachu spat on the floor as he slowly walked a few more feet forward. (I will n-never ever join you n-now that I see what horrid f-fiend you are. Let my friend go now.)

"the hard way it is. " the criminal overlord turned to the cat pokemon at his side. "You know what to do..my pet . Weaken that rodent badly but don't kill it. I need it alive. Blood is so difficult to clean off the helicopter,"

The cat's eyes gleamed as it leapt from his master's side to where the mouse was- about halfway between Misty and its master. (Move it now.) the little mouse fiercely growled at the large cat Pokemon- at least two and a half times bigger than him- looming over him.

The cat's tail whooshed back and forth from side to side- blocking his path. (Let me think about that.) He replied -for the voice tone was a deep and masculine one as his eyes gleamed (..No). No longer confused now, he used Double Team- he glowed white and created multiple copies of himself. Now there were six more cats surrounding Pikachu in a thick circle leaving him trapped in the middle.

(Uh oh) the mouse squeaked.

The cats laughed. (Prepared to be truly beaten mouse!). All seven cats' eyes glowed purple for a second.

Pikachu was confused. (Huh? what's going-) they attacked him suddenly, slashing and biting his fur, staining it and the floor red with fur and blood.

,

The sea of cream-colored cats devoured Pikachu but Ash caught glimpses of him trying to get out of the mass of cream fur but each time one cat would pull him back in. The air soon became thick with yells, flying fur and the stench of blood. Anyone could see it was unfair, seven against one and hearing his desperate cries, he wished he could do something, anything to help him. Unluckily, both of his hands were tied behind his back so he couldn't reach any of his Pokéballs on his belt. He had to watch this for what seemed like forever, but in reality was twenty five or so minutes.

Giovanni snapped his fingers once. The pack of Persians broke up into a small circle with a small path to Ash open. In the middle of the circle, he saw an awfully injured form surrounded by the seven still cats, which had blood and scratches on their fur. The figure was in a large puddle of blood and yellow-red and cream fur. It hardly seemed to be breathing. Ash thought it was dead until he saw it breathe and it turned its back to him to cough, he saw two stripes on the form's back he had come to recognize. "Oh Pikachu".

He was stunned as his little Pokémon turned his bruised body around. Everyone but Lawrence and Giovanni were staring in horror at the mouse. Misty's jaw dropped at the sight. _What did those brutes do to you? _It was an appalling sight, one that they wouldn't soon forget. The cats messed Pikachu up so badly he was scarcely identifiable. His yellow fur was covered in scratches, slashes and bite marks. As he made a great effort to get up, Ash saw that places where he had been bitten were dreadfully swollen and in some cases, bleeding as blood dripped off onto the floor. While Pikachu was catching his breath Ash saw chunks of fur on his body were missing. There was a huge cut alongside his ribs and he winced as he slowly got up. He looked like he had been forced to fight fifty different Pokémon at the same time. In other words, he looked like a nearly unrecognizable mess who seemed ready to collapse at the slightest touch.

(Is-is he-) Togepi couldn't finish his question.

(I don't know) Golduck told him.

"I-I can't believe it. Da boss- he-he tried ta-" Meowth cut off as Misty, Ash, Jessie and James nodded, stunned. There weren't enough words that could truly describe what they had just seen.

"Come on, Pikachu. You can do it, pal, I believe in you, just make your way over here. I know you can do it. Just put one paw in front of the other and make your way over here." he said, loud enough for Pikachu to hear as he tried to make his way to him but the Persians used Screech, drowning out the words to him. The noise was so awful that it made claws scratching across a blackboard seem like nothing and he wanted to put his hands over his ears to block it out, like everyone else in the room, asides from Giovanni was doing but his hands were restrained behind his back. Then as suddenly as it had begun, the screeching came to a halt. All seven cats briefly gazed angrily at him as if they were going to mess him up as well.

The mouse got about a foot when his injuries became too much and he flopped onto the floor. The Persians just sat there as if they were waiting for an unspoken order from Giovanni. Then Ash felt a small breeze blow by his feet, he knew what the cats were waiting for, why their eyes had flashed dark blue before they attacked._ I don't want to know how that Persian knew future Sight but... but Oh no…_ An enormous white ball of matter appeared in the air next to Ash and zoomed right at him as if he was a magnet and it a bunch of nails.

"Look out!" Ash cried to warn him of the huge Future Sight, which was closing in to him at an alarming rate.

(Huh?) Pikachu looked up and saw the ball of energy just as the Future Sight attack hit!

"KAAACCCCHUUUUU!" He screamed out . Simultaneously Ash yelled "PIIIKKKAAACHUUUU!" at the top of his lungs as the attack struck it mark.

the impact hurled the mouse through the air all the way across the room. He ricocheted off the invisible force field protecting the wall and crashed to the floor a few feet away.

. The boy fought against the Team Rocket leader's grip and his bonds."You beast! Pikachu! I have to see if he's alive! Please oh please be okay. " the room was so silent for a few minutes everyone's breaths could be heard. " please ... Please..." the teen quitely beged as he stared at the mouse, biting his lip.

His heart jumped as his Pokémon slowly got to his paws a few minute later

the mouse groaned as he weakly stood up. (Owww) he moaned.

The Rocket boss snapped his fingers again and six cats vanished. The true Persian swooped on him like starving Snorlaxes on food but he was too weak to fight. In no time he pinned the mouse to the floor with his powerful heavy paws over his body. Persian dug his claws into the fur so he couldn't escape without injuring himself even more. The cat asked him something in a low hiss. Meowth shuddered as he translated. "Persian is askin' im if he'll go wid dem quietly now an' be da boss' Pokémon or Else. ' " He gulped. " or. Else he'll get an-anudder beatin' ".

"That's pretty harsh" James replied.

As a reply the mouse spat in the Persian's face. (Now that's gutsy of him) Golduck remarked (good answer).

(What makes you think I'd go with you, you beast? Go ahead, mess me up again, I don't care. I'll never serve your trainer since I'd rather die than leave Ash. He's a monster and just wants me to be a slave, a servant and doesn't care about my feelings. Ash treats me and any Pokémon he has like equals not like slaves. He treats us if we get sick or injure and he puts our safety and well-being first. He never forces me to battle or do anything if I don't want to. I will never abandon him for that horrible, monstrous savage beast you call your master) he replied back. Ash saw the mouse wink at him.

He watched as the Persian furiously slashed an unsheathed across Pikachu's left ear hard as if it were no more than a scratching post. His sharp claws broke through the layer of skin. He howled out in pain as red flecks came out. The cat slashed the little mouse's ear several more times and Ash knew Persian was beyond mad that Pikachu had called Giovanni a savage beast.

_I have to help him somehow. Come on, Think, ash, think. What can I do?_ Ash told his brain, the part that wasn't panicking about what he had just seen. He thought hard for ten or so minutes, in which Persian was taunting Pikachu, calling him weak, soon-to-die runt, coward and worse insults and saying things like how he didn't care about real power. The young boy couldn't come up with anything since his brain was still in a state of shock. _Shock! Shock! Of course!_

"Wait a minute! That's it," he said out loud. The answer was so simple and obvious he couldn't believe he hadn't thought of it sooner _One well-done Persian coming up_. He summoned what little courage he had left.

"Pikachu, Th-Thunderbolt that cat !"

"Persian, Recover and Conversion2!" Giovanni and Ash both called out simultaneously.

_'How can a Persian know recover? And what's Conversion2?_ The teen thought.

"You're in for a real treat," Giovanni whispered in Ash's ears as he tensed the tightened ropes around his arms. The teen felt the bindings cut even deeper into his skin. The teenager bit his lip. "Conversion2 is a very rare move lets the Pokémon change types to a type resistant against the last attack used"

.

Persian closed its eyes for a few a few seconds he did, all the cuts and scratches on his fur vanished. (Th-that's not possible. H-how?) His captive squeaked.

The cat smirked. (Oh it's possible, rat) he laughed. (If you think that was something get a load of this) he hissed before letting out an eerie howl that chilled the mouse's fur. His fur and eyes glowed and became as stone gray like Onix. Pikachu shocked as hard as he could, but nothing happened. He tried over and over but the Persian just stood there, unscathed by the attacks. He stopped shocking less than ten minutes later, when he was getting wiped.

(Scared, runt?) He laughed before giving another strange sounding howl as his eye and fur color both went back to normal. (That's your best shot? How pathetic) he laughed again as he dug his claws deeper into Pikachu's body.

Blood spilled out onto the already red -splattered floor. (Let me... go and I'll show you my. best shot) the mouse panted.

Persian cackled evilly. (Do you think I'm as stupid as those three-) He jerked his tail in the direction of James, Jessie and Meowth (to fall for that?).

Within seconds the cat raised one heavy unsheathed forepaw into the air and brought it down upon the mouse's left side of his face. A serious sharp agonizing pain overcame him as the sharp claws hit their mark- just missing his eye. (Ahhh!) Pikachu yowled painfully in unison as his trainer and Misty screamed his name out as four deep bleeding streaks appeared on his face. He could barely move- his paws were in too much pain. The cruel cat's enormous paws were still pinning his body down so any movement would only hurt him more. The electricity in his body was so weak he opened his mouth and let out a weak Growl at Persian, who ignored it and laughed.

(Really? You think you're going to defeat me with that? Like I said, what a pitiful useless attack) Persian said as he dug his claws even deeper into the mouse's fur. A pool of scarlet spilled out. He whimpered softly. (Give up you pathetic rodent. joins Master and me)

His body ached in pain. (N-Never! N-Never!) His captive squeaked. (I'm... not... pathetic) he panted. (I'd rather die. your master is n-nothing but a c-c-coward. He's way t-too power hungry. His k-kidnaps and Th-threatens people and p-Pokémon just to make them obey orders. He's an in-inhumane monster)

(Don't insult my Master!) Persian screeched as he slashed Pikachu's ear again, harder than before.

"Hey P-Persian! Leave him alone! You've tortured him enough!" Ash shouted.

(Stay of this pesky human or you're next) the cat looked up at the teen and hissed, baring his bloodstained fangs. .

The mouse felt faint from the blood loss and the room began to spin. The blood on his fur felt gluey and warm. The air stung from his injuries and the slashes near his eye hurt like mad. The scent of the blood on his body and in the room was so strong he could taste it in his mouth. His whole body throbbed with pain.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Giovanni hand Ash back to Lawrence, who literally shoved him onto the floor about ten feet away. He landed in the middle of the fabric that used to be his hat. He looked like he had been beaten up. His face had swollen slap marks on one side where Lawrence slapped him and a small line of dried blood from the knife was under his throat and next to it was another line of blood which had just stopped bleeding. There were little cuts on his arms where Lawrence's knife hacked into the flesh. Pikachu saw the ropes binding his arms and legs cutting into his skin, cutting off Ash's circulation. His eyes and face were red and puffy from crying and his hair was a mess.

(I don't see what's so special about you or that loser. I'll let that useless human watch me beat you up again and again untill \ he submits. Then Master can do whatever he wants with you, if you refuse- having that \ softhearted weakling around will be useful) Persian said as he lifted a claw near to Pikachu's left ear as if to slice a chunk off. (I think I'll start with your ear and go from there. I'm sure it wouldn't take that long for that pathetic weakling human to admit defeat.)

That comment was the straw that broke the Girafarig's back, or in this case the Pikachu's back. The comment about his beloved trainer went so hard and deep that he snapped. Ignoring the pain from the huge loss of blood, he did the one thing he vowed he would never do. Desperate times called for desperate measures. He'd heard rumors of how evolution could give one an extra boost in strength and energy and could mean a chance between life and death. It was time to see if those myths were true.

(That is absolutely it! You may call me weak but NEVER EVER CALL ASH PATHETIC OR A WEAKLING IN FRONT OF ME!) He yelled the last part as he Mega Kicked, Thunder Punched and Mega Punched the Persian off of him. The cat landed near by his master's feet and . then a bright white light engulfed him and he began transforming.

….

Meowth saw the bright light cover Pikachu as he evolved. His small body grew bigger as did his ears and tail. "Holy freaking Miltank."

When the light disappeared, his yellow red fur was a reddish-orange color due to the blood from his injures and the tips of his ears were a muddy brown, with the left one bleeding. His tail was now long and thin with a broad, lightning bolt-shaped tip. His face looked like it had been hacked with a blade badly thanks to that loathsome Persian.

Meowth looked around and saw that he wasn't the only one feeling as if he had just been shocked into paralysis. Everyone but Giovanni was staring at him like they'd never seen a Raichu in their lives. Ash's jaw dropped and in the silence, Meowth heard the muffled sound of his Pokédex: **Raichu, a Mouse Pokémon of the Electric element. Raichu is the evolved form of a Pikachu. It can shock with more than 100,000 volts, enough to render a Dragonite unconscious**

He looked at the boy, who stared at Raichu with an amazed look in his eyes as he mouthed the name. The cat immediately recalled Pikachu's speech at the Vermilion City Pokémon Center long ago; when he gave him the choice of evolving so he could beat Lt. Surge's Raichu or staying as he was: (I will never, ever evolve. I want to battle the Raichu again, just as I am now. I will fight in the name of all Pikachu. I will also defend my honor and your honor too, Ash)

"Dat's odd. ''E said he was never ever gonna evolve," Meowth said aloud. " An' I taught dat da only way fer him ta evolve was ta use a Tunderstone ",

Ash finally found his voice. "H-h-how?"

Misty, Jessie and James could only shrug. "Meowth, what's Raichu telling the Boss and Lawrence?" James asked Meowth, who was watching Raichu say something to the two men his fur bristling as he talked. He translated what he was saying for the humans.

"Raichu ai Chu Rai Raichu Chu RaiAi ai rai -ai. chu Rai! Ai rai aichu Chu rai Raichu Chu Rai Raichu Chuai Aichu Rai Raichu Chu Rai ai "Raichu was now facing Giovanni. His bristling fur evidenced the hatred the mouse had. "ChuRai Raichu Chu Rai Raichu Aichu Rai RaiAi rai Chu Chu-rain Raichu. Ai Chu Rai Raichu-Rai Chu ai Raichu-chu rai RaichuChu ai rai rai RaiAi! Chu ai aichu rai rai Aichu rai Chu churai ai ai rai. Ai ai chu Raichu rai rai rai Chu ai rai-raichu ! !"

" What 'e's is sayin' is dis: I've had up to here wid you hoitin' my best human frien an' pal in da whole world. I don't care dat you kidnapped him or dat ya want 'im outta da way so ya can capture Lugia again'. Ya crossed da line wid me when ya threatened to hoit him". He took a breath. "Dat's beautiful." Tears were running down the cat' face but he took no notice of them as he finished translating "Ya don't know how many times Ash saved my life an' now it's my turn to repay da favor."

…

After Raichu finished his speech, he tried to run over to Ash, but his paws were moving but he wasn't! (Huh? What gives?) He turned around and saw his new longer tail pinned to the ground by one huge paw of the Persian, whose yellow eyes gleamed at him like an Ampharos' tail in the darkness. The collar that had been around its neck was on the floor.

(Trying to leave, runt? You may have evolved, but you're still no match for me. Any last words?) The cat snickered.

Raichu charged up the remaining electrical energy in his body- he used nearly all of it up making the Substitute, shocking the cage and evolving-Thunderbolted the cat through his tail. (Yes. good-night) he laughed as his tail was released and the cat fell to the floor. With the last of his strength, he summoned a series of stars, which cut the ropes strapping Ash like a knife through hot butter.

He tried to run over to him, but suddenly found his body twitching out of its own accord and then his tail and body seemed to stiffen. (Help.) He muttered. Everything went black as his world fainted.

….

.

As soon as the Swift attack cut the ropes holding his arms and legs, Ash saw the electric type pass out. "PIKA-RAAAIIICHUUUU!" he shouted at the top of his lungs as he ran over to him. He picked the limp form up, tore off his vest and carefully wrapped the wounded mouse in it stopping his side from bleeding, getting blood on the fabric as well as his badges in the process. He'd have to clean them another time since at that moment all that mattered to him was Raichu's safety. Next Ash knelt down and felt his body. Raichu's body felt somewhat warm and his fur was covered in sticky blood. He wasn't moving at all.

"Come on buddy, wake up."

Nothing.

"Want to help me win another badge?"

No response.

"Say something...Anything… please. "

Again there was no reply from the Pokémon. He felt a lump rising in his throat and hot tears began to run down his face. He bent down, put one ear to his Pokémon's chest and for six seconds he listened carefully for a heartbeat, which was very faint. "Raichu" the black haired boy muttered. "No. Please no, ". He lifted his ear back up. _He can't be dead... couldn't be. Not after that unforseen move._

Suddenly a small smoke bomb exploded and covered him! Misty shouted his name but he couldn't see anything. He felt something thick hit the floor. "What's going on?" he coughed." I… can't see."

(I'll help you Daddy. I'll get wid of the smoke. )

Misty said "Togepi no! You don't know what attack is going to happen" _Uh oh. He's using Metronome! Please be something useful._

A few seconds later the teen felt a small breeze as a mini Gust attack blew the smoke away. "Thanks Togepi." He looked and saw what hit the floor: a thick net that covered him and the mouse leaving about two feet distance around them. he looked at the net- it looked super strong. _I wouldn't be surprised if it's made out of rubber fibers. _He gulped as he gazed up through the net and saw Giovanni's smug face. "You twisted monster! Y-you k-killed him. He said, his face hot with tears. "H-how c-could you? You horrendous twistedson of a b-"

The crime boss looked down at him and shook his head. "It's not dead yet, just extremely weak."

"But-he's barely breathing!"

"You are such a naïve boy. It takes a lot of energy for a Pokémon to evolve without a stone. It had even less energy because it had used Substitute for the first time."

The teen was confused. "S-Substitute?"'

"A rare move where the Pokémon using it creates a clone that looks exactly like itself. Though it uses up half its energy. "Giovanni explained as Lawrence angrily glared over at Meowth, Jessie and James who cringed. "While the clone doesn't last long – for it takes lots of energy to keep a Substitute going it also doesn't cast a shadow. . So I added some Stun Spore dust into a small flap on Persian's collar. While the rat was talking he did Conversion2, put it on his claws ...and well you get the idea. It's so little it wouldn't hurt a human but for the Raichu with little energy… it paralyzed it and made it faint. It's just a precaution so it won't fight back. Not that it will since I have you."

"M-Me?" The teenager's heart thumped loudly in his throat. " Why m-me?"

"stupid boy. You're its Achilles' heel. Didn't you see how it didn't want to shock me once I threatened to have Lawrence cut you up? How it risked its own safety to get you free? How it tried to beat Persian even after it had been it that cage and injured."

_The Spearow attack…he fought them off even when he was critically hurt_ .the boy looked down at the unconscious mouse in his vest briefly. "How despite his injuries H-he e-evolved though he swore he never would. F-for me."

Giovanni nodded. "Yes idiot boy. It proved it will do anything to keep you from harm so I'll use you to break its spirit and bend it to my will. What amazing incredible power, I can't wait to tap into it for my own personal gain. But even if my-" he stressed the word," Raichu had energy, that net is completely unshockable. If it disobeys me I'll take it out on you. If it continues to rebel… …I'll kill you."

Lawrence and Giovanni ignored the trapped teen as they went over to Misty and started threatening her if she told anyone about. Ash made sure no one was watching as he unclipped Bayleef's pokeball from his belt. "Don't worry bud I'll have us out in two shakes of a Mareep's tail, " he said as he enlarged it, and threw it onto the floor

The pokeball opened. A white burst of energy came out and materialized into his Bayleef. Bayleef was a pale yellow dinosaur Pokémon of the grass type. She had small leaf-like growths sprouting in a ring around her neck and a large leaf shaped scythe sticking out from her head. She had a small tail. She sniffed the air for a few seconds as her pokeball flew back into her trainer's hand. Finding the source of his scent, she ran over to where he was (Ash! Ash!) She licked his face as a sign of affection. Ever since she was a little Chikorita she had a crush on him and although it had subsided she still greeted him warmly

"I know you're happy to see me, but this isn't the time Bayleef" Ash told her and she stopped. She was shocked to see how beat up he looked. She did a double take when she saw a terribly injured Raichu in the net. ._ It couldn't be Pikachu ... could it?_

(Is th-that … Pikachu?)

"H-he's a R-Raichu now."

Bulbasaur told her how Pikachu refused to evolve- how he made it plainly clear that he would never do that. But yet there was one right there in her trainer's lap. _Something must have changed significantly for him to evolve. How's it possible he evolved without a Thunder Stone? _She thought she looked up at her trainer as he bit his lip, trying not to cry. He looked hurt- not just on the outside. _'He doesn't look like himself. 'He looks broken_.

She knew what would help get him back to normal. (My Sweet Scent will help calm you down) she said. He nodded. Bayleef waved her scythe and a small cloud of her Sweet Scent powder fell over Ash. As the sweet smelling pink powder settled he felt his worries disappear for a few minutes as it took effect and He sighed almost dreamily. He was in a daze for ten minutes.

As the powder sunk in, she got a better look at him and her eyes bugged out. His face had swollen slap marks on one side and a small line of dried blood was under his throat next to it was another line of dried blood. There were little cuts on his arms hacked into the flesh and there were deep circles around his arms and legs like something had cut into his skin. His eyes and face were red and puffy from crying and his hair was a mess. (What happened to you?) She looked at the injuries. (When I find whoever did this, they'll get a taste of my Body Slam.)

"I'll- I'll tell you later." he mumbled. There was something different in his voice tone- like something had been sucked out of it. She noticed he didn't have his hat.

(wh-Where's your hat?)

"O-over th-there" .he pointed to a spot a few feet away where there was a ton of fabric strips on the ground along with a shredded red brim in a puddle of red. Wait a minute… red brim? She peered closer and saw the strips of fabric were red and white strips of his famous hat. She also saw there were red puddles with the fabric.

She shuddered then looked away. She saw Misty-holding a tired looking Golduck fearfully as the team rocket leader and Lawrence menaced her. (Psyduck finally evolved?) She asked,

"Y-yeah, he did," he told her as he shook some of the sparkling powder off.

(Knew he had it in him.) She muttered to herself. (H-how did it happen?)

"H-he saved her life. U-used his psychic p-powers on his own to save her."

(What happened here? Why's there's all this blood? )

He choked on the words. "Y-you don't w-wanna know. T-t-trust me."

She was worried. She overheard some voices while she was in her pokeball and what she'd heard was very terrible. But instead she replied, (That's okay with me Ash. Why did you call me out? Do you want me to battle or something?) She asked as he shook the last of the powder off, completely regaining his senses.

"Not to battle. I need you to use your Razor Leaf attack to get this net off me and Raichu- "He looked down but all he saw was his blood-soaked vest. He was gone! "Where is he? Where'd he go" he asked panicky.

(Look over here human) a hiss came from his right side so he turned around. He saw that vile Persian smirk at him with a blood soaked claw a half an inch over Raichu's left electrical sack. Another powerful paw held the mouse back against the net, claws extended gripping him tightly . "How did you-?"

The cat's red eyes gleamed . (Get him without you noticing? You'd be surprised how much a large cloud of Sweet Scent can dull the senses.)

"l-leave him a-alone..he doesn't deserve this.."

Persian scoffed. (After the hell he put my Master through? After calling him all those horrible things?) the feline Pokemon leered his yellow eyes at the teen. (I'd say the rat deserves this along with the beating/starvation session . Besides when it wakes up it won't be able to fight me.. it's too weak.)

(don't c-call my friend weak.) Bayleef gulped. (L-let him go.)

The cat pretended to consider this. (Let me think…. No!) He slashed the electrical sack. Red liquid ran down Raichu's face, through the fur, down the wire net on its way to the floor. The cat removed his bloodied claw then put it up against Raichu's neck as if to slice it off. He hissed menacingly at Bayleef. (Go on. Try it. You move and I kill the mouse right here, right now. Master can use its fur to clone a new one.)

the color drained from Jessie , Meowth , James , Misty , Bayleef and Ash'sfaces. Ash and Misty gasped as their eyes widened. They were thinking the same thought: _'how does he know about clones if Mewtwo erased his memory back on Mount Quena?'_

(He has spent so much wasted money on catching it, though why he wanted it when it was a puny Pikachu I don't know. I can see why now that he and i have seen its power. It will be very useful for us-) Persian licked his lips.

Bayleef shuddered. (H-he wouldn't help you if C-Celebi herself sprouted Dragonite sized wings.) She stood up defensively. (I'll- I'll fight you with-)

Persian sneered. (You and what army? Jessie and James? ) Meowth hissed but he ignored it and continued. (I don't care if I have to kill you and the human in order to get it to obey. If that happens well as well then he doesn't have to deal with your trainer ruining his plans anymore. One single move- even a Sleep Powder from you and…) the Normal type Pokémon let the sentence hang in in the air. (Make your choice) he hissed the last three words.

Bayleef's eyes ping-ponged from Persian to Ash to Raichu and back again. She was loyal and a bit stubborn but she wouldn't put her friends in immediate danger. She gulped and hung her head. (I- I. I can't. I won't risk my friend and teammate's life). She looked down at her trainer for a few seconds, ashamed that she couldn't do anything. (I'm. Sorry I couldn't help you out of the net. I don't want to risk your safety) she mumbled,

Ash understood her embarrassment. "You tried, Bayleef. Return." he sadly recalled her to her pokeball, and clipped it back onto his belt. After he did this, Persian lifted its blood-covered claw from Raichu's neck and let him go. The mouse Pokémon fell to the floor and his trainer scooted over to him and placed him gently in his lap. .

"No wonder those idiots lost to you all the time boy they never directly attacked your heart." Giovanni said as he walked past and towards where the helicopter was waiting outside, Persian at his side.

Meowth, James and Jessie followed him. As they passed him as they grabbed the end of the net, Meowth whispered out of the corner of his mouth, "We tried ta fool Lawrence but it failed. Sorry twoip. "

"Huh?" The raven-haired boy was confused. "What's he talking about?" It hit him they were the ones who taught Raichu Substitute. As they were dragged along the red-stained floor to the bottom of the helicopter outside on the launch pad he pieced together their plan. "Oh…I think I get it," he said to the limp form. "They were going to bring Lawrence the fake you, when you'd be waiting in their balloon. They'd tell Lawrence Misty ran off when they would also be hiding in the balloon. They would then give Lawrence the fake you to give to Giovanni. James would tell Weezing to use its smokescreen attack and Jessie would use a smoke bomb to use as a cover to rescue me. Then we would get in the balloon and split before the substitute faded. Am I right?" Raichu's reply was a jerk of his paws, which he took as yes. _'Ha. And here I thought those three couldn't do anything right without it blowing up in their faces. Still, it doesn't change a thing between us even though they saved my hide big time'_ he thought. The net was tied to the bottom of the helicopter very tightly.

.

Soon the helicopter started moving away from the airship and all Ash could see of it was a small dot. Upon closer look at his tail, He saw it was covered in orange dust specks coming from claw marks at the tip. Like the Team Rocket leader said, it was such a minuscule amount that it wouldn't affect a human. But when he thought about everything his pal had gone through it was nothing short of unspeakable wretchedness. "That evil coldhearted , power hungry bas-" He began to say a colorful description for Giovanni but before he could finish his words Raichu's eyes fluttered open.

(H-Huh? Ash? Wh-what happened? Last thing I remem-) he began but then the paralysis took effect. His body started twitching, like he couldn't control his movements anymore. Ash knew immediately that it was due to the Stun Spore specks.

"Let's get you cleaned up," he said as he got a small cloth out of his jeans pocket, held him while pressing the cloth against his injured electric sack until the blood stopped running down his fur. "Are you okay?"

(I th-think so considering...) the large mouse Pokémon nodded.

"I can't believe you did that for me... that took so much courage and loyalty."

(Didn't …have a choice.) Raichu shuddered. (Sorry i couldn't. save us...). He seemed to be in great pain.

"Shh, don't strain yourself pal ". He said. Something nagged at him. It wasn't how Raichu evolved without a stone-though that was puzzling. It wasn't how Persian knew those attacks, another puzzle best left unanswered he concluded. . It was how the team rocket leader knew where he lived and his name. _'How did he know my full name? I've never told anyone, not even Misty'. His mom never talked about his dad, but she told him once that he would have been proud to see him start his Pokémon quest. 'Is Giovanni, the boss of my sworn enemies my father_

XxX.

XxX.

After the helicopter left Lawrence wasted no time in trying to get Togepi away from his trainer again. He had her cornered into the cage bars. Knowing he was exhausted she had recalled Golduck to his pokeball, which left her defenseless, as she wasn't going to risk her other pokemon against this madman. Togepi shuddered as he hid in her arms. "You have no place to run, girl. So hand over that Togepi and I won't kill you ... yet"

"N-never" she said.

(I'm scared, Mommy) Togepi whispered as she was pressed against the cold cage bars. They were trapped.

"Don't worry. I'll keep you safe," she told the frightened Pokémon. "I'm not going to let him hurt you." She shuddered as she recalled how Lawrence had tortured him in her horrible nightmare. Never

The madman grinned. "The kid isn't here to save you this time. If you hand over that creature in your arms I may let you live. You don't have any other options so hand it over!"

(I'm not going with you, you meanie) Togepi proclaimed. (I'm gonna fight for mommy an' for daddy) She looked down and noticed his hands waving back and forth; glowing blue. He was using Metronome again.

Please oh please be something useful.'

He stopped waving his fingers. An orange, fiery twister appeared in his mouth and he blew it onto the floor, where it sunk into the floor and vanished from sight. Lawrence smiled. "I told you before girl, nothing can destroy this ship now! You thought that lame thing could save you? Ha -"

KAAAAABOOOOM!

Suddenly the ship blew up! The explosion, which totally extirpated the aircraft sent Misty and Togepi flying! Luckily she had the smarts to hold him tightly than before the ship exploded. They fell through the air amid blazing scraps of metal. 'So this is how it ends. Good-bye cruel world. I'll never be able to tell Ash how I love-'

Just then something large and orange caught them on his back. (Good thing I'm here or you two would be Fearow food) a recognizable voice told them. Misty recognized the voice-it was Ash's old Charizard!

(Charyzard!) Togepi cried happily. (You saved Mommy and me!)

(Guess I did. I was flying through the neighborhood when I saw you.) He said as they got settled. (What in Mew's name happened here?) He pointed to the blazing scraps of the airship.

She told him a shortened version of what happened, trying not to cry. His eyes went wide when he heard about his old teammate's surprise evolution. "…Now I don't know wh-where they went. If I don't Rescue them now who knows what he's going to do to them. "She ended, choking on the words.

(I don't blame you for being worried. He's inhuman to do that. If it helps I passed a helicopter that reeked of Team Rocket not long ago) Charizard said.

Her heart did a joyful flip. They could rescue them before it would be too late! 'If we get out of this mess alive, I'll tell Ash that I love him and give him a huge kiss', She thought, although she didn't tell this to the dragon as he would probably say something like he knew that from when he was a little Charmander. "Can you track it down?" she asked.

He looked at her like she asked him to fry a Bellsprout (can I track it? of course I can. I'm like a growlithe with wings. Better put Togepi in a pokeball because I'm going to fly super-fast.) He said as he landed on a small ledge jutting out from a rocky cliff.

Misty unclipped an empty pokeball from her belt, enlarged it and showed it to Togepi, who looked scared and shook his head at it. (I don't like those things, Mommy) he protested

"Please do it for me".

(No)

(It's nice and warm, and this way you are out of harm's way in case people try to take you) Charizard added

(Like the man who took Daddy and Pika-Waichu?) Togepi asked.

"Y-yes. Th-that man." Misty confirmed.

(From what you told me he's pure evil. if he harms them in any way...) Charizard growled softly as he clenched a claw into a fist.

The little Pokémon gazed from Charizard to Misty and back. (I guess I'll try It. if mommy doesn't have to worry about me. You're gonna try to save them wight?)

(On my honor, kid)

"Yes. You just take a long nap in the ball. " She saw a haunted look in his eyes. The events on the ship had shaken him up. "You'll be safe in there."

(o-Okay) he agreed. She threw the ball at him and it opened as it hit him. A red beam of energy sucked him safely inside and the pokeball closed up. It shook nonce and then was still she minimized the ball and returned it to her belt. .

"Did I make the right choice? " she stared down at the pokeball. She knew she couldn't carry him forever. There were times he walked off and Raichu would follow him to ensure he didn't get hurt. She remembered that time in Viridian City that he got lost and she, Brock and Ash spent all that time looking for him. She recalled that dreadful feeling someone stole him but they'd found him inside the Viridian Gym. Misty still didn't know what had happened to him or how he'd gotten there. Then there was the advantage of having him in a pokeball. "I'll be able to recall him if he's in trouble or hurt. '" She said but then a thought came. 'What if my pokéballs are stolen?'

Charizard guessed what she was thinking. (He'll be okay in there, Misty.)

"I owe you one," she said.

(He's got to get used to them at some point. at least he won't get injured. I'm surprised he isn't tired. . He's got the makings of a fighter when he learns more attacks. He can't just rely on Metronome; he's got to have some backup attacks too.)

She wasn't sure if that was a compliment or not. Togepi never really battled-there was that one time in Johto when she and Ash had that battle to see who got Totodile but other than that he never really showed interest in learning any attacks. Metronome saved their lives in the Orange Islands once or twice but that was it. "Thanks, I think." She said

(Now let's find them!) Charizard declared as he spread his wings and took off from the cliff. He flew, hot on the scent.

The clouds looked like blurs, they went through them so fast. She was glad she was riding a fire type- the tiny droplets of moisture chilled her skin but his internal heat kept her warm. "What's it like inside a Pokeball?" She asked out of pure curiosity as they flew through of the clouds.

(Well. it's kind of hard to explain to a human but I'll try. Somehow- doesn't ask me I don't know how; you're changed into a ball of red energy and put in your own little world. You can get an idea of what's going on outside the ball so that if you are sent out, you know what's happening but its is kind of like background noise. The atmosphere gives you a sense of security Many Pokémon see it as a place where they can be safe and take a nap) He explained.

She looked down at Togepi's pokeball. "You mean he can hear what we're talking about?"

(Yeah err no. Some Pokémon block the noises out and rest while some like to know what's going on)

'So that's why psy- err Golduck popped out all the time. He sensed I was in trouble' she thought.

(To a Pokémon who hates being confined, being in one even for a little bit is like pure agony) the dragon paused for a minute to catch his breath as he dashed through some clouds. (I can see why Pika-) he corrected himself. (I mean Raichu loathes them.). He ended then added (I still can't believe he evolved. it's hard to grasp)

"I know what you mean. We were all stunned. No one saw it coming. "

(Seems that Persian went too far. I'm guessing that the extra evolutionary energy burst may have saved his life)

"Evolutionary energy burst?"

(It didn't happen to me but I've heard that when a Pokémon evolves the process sometimes triggers an extra boost of energy. It's quick but that energy can mean the difference between life and death. It can power up abilities and attacks that are low.)

She thought about that for a few minutes. It made sense how Raichu was able to Thunderbolt that abhorrent Persian when he was low on energy. They dipped beneath a wispy cloud to fly closer to the earth (evolution's strange. it affects everyone in different ways. It can change or break a Pokémon for better or worse) the fire type commented.

They said nothing for a few minutes. Misty wondered if this comment stemmed from the fact that he had completely changed personalities when he went through his own evolutions or just a general observation.

"What's that?" she asked as she pointed to a swarm of something getting closer to them. As it got closer, her eyes widened when she saw what it was. "B-B-B-BEEDRILL!" she shouted as the huge swam of poison bees flew even closer. Her face went pale white. She truly hated bug Pokémon.

(Hold on tight) Charizard declared as she clung tightly to his shoulders. He unleashed a huge Fire Blast at the swarm, which burned the bugs to cinders and they fell to the ground like stones. (Beedrill Flambé, yum) he licked his lips as they started to fly down to the ground where the burnt bodies lay in a pile.

"Charizard! This isn't time to be eating!" she yelled at him. He grumbled as he swooped down, grabbed one of the roasted bugs with his claws and flew back up as they were about to hit the ground. "Yuck! How can you eat that?" She asked Charizard as he sunk his teeth into the head of the deceased bug he was holding as if it was a candy bar.

(The only poisonous parts are the tail and arms. A Fearow stole the Raticate I was going to have for breakfast. I haven't had a thing since I left the Charific Valley and I'm starving) he replied. (Are you sure you don't want any? It's very high in protein and vitamins) he said in between bites.

Her face turned the shade of a Bulbasaur's bulb. She hated bugs and Charizard eating the dead one in front of her grossed her out even more. "I'll pass on that offer."

(Suit yourself. But please no hurling on the wings, just waxed them. It takes forever to get vomit off them and chicks dig guys with clean wings. You know what other 'zards in the Valley call me?) Charizard asked her.

"I'd rather not." Misty confessed but the fire type ignored her.

(The love doctor and there's a patient in need of an appointment. Watch the doctor's best shot.) Charizard told her as he flew over to a passing figure, which turned out to be a Pidgeot.

She groaned. 'Great. Just what I need. A pokemonized version of Brock. We'll NEVER catch up with them now'

(Hello, lovely. May I remark how the sunlight hitting your feathers makes you look more beautiful than a shiny Fearow?)

Pidgeot looked at Charizard and then at its feathers for a few seconds. (You're right) she, for the bird's voice was female (I am much more pretty than a shiny)

(The name's zard, Charizard that is. Now that we've recognized how beautiful you are, why don't you and I find a remote cloudbank to show each other our special moves?) Charizard said to the bird

(Go flirt with a Blastoise, lava breath) she retorted back as she started to fly away.

(You're hotter than they are. You're much lovelier than Moltres herself. I've seen her up close) Charizard added.

Misty knew this detail would get the bird's attention. Her black eyes went wide. If she had a mouth instead of a beak, it would have dropped and if the cloudbank she was flying through were a wall, the bird would definitely crashed into it. She slowed down her flying so that Charizard could catch up to her (wheat? You've s-seen M-Moltres herself with your own eyes? One of the most beautiful Pokégods ever?) She sputtered; disregarding there was a human on his back.

(Who hasn't?) He shrugged his shoulders as if a Moltres sighting was common, like a Weedle (But she is a mere Spearow compared to your loveliness.) He replied. (Would you like to make a new Pokémon with such a handsome specimen?)

(Huh?)the Pidgeot was confused. (What in the name of Ho-Oh's tail feathers are you babbling about?)

(Moi. Me. Breed with me, lovely. Our egg will hatch into something half Charizard and half Pidgeot)

It took her a few seconds to realize what he was asking. (rude pig! I don't crossbreed, with jerks! Stupid Charizard! Like I'd mate with someone whose brain's the size of a moon stone) she said huffily as she made a very rude gesture at him with her talon then quickly flew out of sight muttering under her breath.

Misty couldn't hold in her laughter anymore "Seriously Charizard? that's your best shot, oh great 'love doctor'?" she said after she laughed about the talon that the Pidgeot had just given him.

(So, I'm a bit out of practice)

"A bit? A bit? "

(But I had her wrapped around my claw when I told her that she was prettier than Moltres. Females dig it when they are told they are cuter than a Legendary. Did I have Beedrill guts in my teeth or blood on my face when I talked? 'Cause that's the most likely reason she gave me the talon)

She rolled her eyes, and shook her head. "You're hopeless. Beside don't you already have a girlfriend? You know…. Charla?" She pointed out to Charizard, empathizing the name. The dragon's face went strawberry red, which clashed horribly with his orange hide. "Besides, Pidgeots aren't even fire types. It would have never worked out. Even if it did it would either have hatched into a Pidgey or a Charmader not haf and half? "

(Killjoy.) The dragon grumbled. He spat out what was left of the dead Beedrill, let the carcass drop from his claws, sniffed the air and pointed to a black speck in the distance with one of his nails. (And Bingo was his name-o. There they are!)

"How can you tell?" Misty wondered

(Two ways. One, there's a huge red "R' painted on one side. Two. I can smell Ash and that filthy Rocket scent from here. We're about twenty minutes from them. Want me to floor it?) Misty nodded. (Hold on tight then.) He went at such a high speed she thought her face was going to fall off.

XxX XxX. XxX.

"Okay I'm going to take the cloth off you." Ash said as he removed the slice of bloody fabric from Raichu's injured electrical sack on his left cheek. The fresh air stung it but the injured mouse ignored it as he licked Ash then curled up into his lap. This was harder than when he was a Pikachu because he was larger now and the net was only so big. "That feel a bit better?" the mouse nodded. The teen took in the innumerable injuries across his body and face. "Sorry I can't fix all your injuries. If that ... horrid psychotic demon has even a shred of humanity in his body he'll let you recover."

(I doubt he will. H-he seemed pretty serious about whipping and starving me.) He shivered. (If he was after me this whole time then why did he take you as well?)

Ash gulped and his stomach churned for a few seconds as he recalled Giovanni's words about him being Raichu's weakness. He explained. "When you were out cold he threw this net over us. He- he said I was your Achilles' heel- y-your weak spot. He noticed that you would do anything to keep me from harm. He said he was going to use me to break your spirit. If-if you disobeyed I'd pay the price." The teen left out the part about the Rocket leader killing him if Raichu continued to rebel.

The mouse shuddered again- he seemed to know what his trainer left out. (I don't want that man to hurt me. He terrifies me after what happened on the ship. He's not even human.)

"I don't blame you. He scares the blazes out of me as well. I won't let him use you for evil purposes." He said as he scratched Raichu behind his non-slashed ear for a few seconds and Raichu let out a contented sigh. Ash had taken his bloody vest off him and put it back on himself. "We'll get out of this mess, I promise you."

(Really?)

"Have I ever let you down?"

He shook his head. Ash looked away for a second and Raichu knew who was on his mind. (Misty?) Raichu asked him.

"Yeah. " he sighed. "I wish I could see her one last time. "

(T-to tell her the truth?)

the human blushed. "yeah.. Obviously not while we're around-" he pointed to the helicopter above them and lowered his voice. "Don't need him using her l-like Lawrence did."

Raichu nodded. He knew she was his other major weakness. "I'd do anything to see or hear her talk. Even about that stupid bike-"

"You STILL owe me, Ash Ketchum! For your information, it was not a stupid bike!" a voice replied. Raichu sniffed the air with his nose and saw Misty-riding Charizard nearing them.

He nudged Ash with his paws and pointed to her with his paralyzed tail. (Mis-) he called out her name but the stun spore stopped him and he started twitching again. Ash had to hold him down for a second time

"Is that really you?" Ash asked tears streaming down his face. She rolled her eyes and gave him a don't-be-a-complete-moronic-dolt-like-Jessie-James-and-Meowth-are look.

"No, I'm Gary."

Ash shuddered at that. Gary Oak was his rival and always seemed to be one step ahead. (She's joking) Raichu told him, which calmed him down.

"If you weren't in this mess, Ash, I'd be giving you something to cry about." She replied, as Charizard got closer. Right now, she had gotten close enough to try to untie the net but first she got a small item-ball out of her pack and motioned for Raichu to stick out his long tail. Misty opened the item-ball above it and white dust fell out of it onto it. He flinched for a minute at the touch of the cold powder and then he could feel his muscles. Charizard, Ash and Misty watched as the Paralyze Heal powder caused the Stun spore to evaporate.

Next she climbed up the small ladder rung to where the net was tied at the bottom of the helicopter keeping her eyes ab

"Don't you worry, I'll have you two out-" she started to restore confidence in them as she tried to untie the wire net at the bottom of the helicopter ladder when the glass door slid open and she saw two creamy red speckled paws and brown shoes. She gulped as her eyes went past the shoes, all the way up to Giovanni and Persian's sneering faces. Her heart raced quickly

"Now what do we have here?The scrawny girl thinks she's going to save the brat?" he laughed coldly.

_ Don't panic Misty. Just stay calm and don't panic,_ she mentally told herself while her brain flashed a red alarm sign PANIC! PANIC! YOU'RE DEAD! YOU'RE DEAD!

Persian put one heavy paw over her hands so she couldn't move. Charizard cut the net open with a small Ember then dived under and caught Ash and Raichu on his back. She saw Giovanni pull out a gun out of his vest and point it straight at Ash's heart. Her heart pounded even faster. "Don't. Make any sudden moves. You know boy, you'd make an excellent member of Team Rocket." Giovanni sneered at Ash,

"I'd rather eat my Charizard and then my Muk!" Ash replied angrily.

(Hey!) The fire type said.

"Don't be stupid like Delia. She could have been rich beyond her puny little imagination. She even promised she'd marry me but she left me when I told her I was the heir to Team Rocket."

"Well, she was smart if she dumped you!" Ash said but Giovanni continued as if he didn't hear that.

"You can have a plethora of money and rare Pokémon. I can help you become the Johto League champ or rule the world if you join Team Rocket now."

"Go rot in hell where you belong." Ash replied.

"I have a deal for you, boy. I let your girlfriend here" Giovanni glanced down at Misty, her face tomato red, "go free and you give me that very powerful mouse of yours in return " He now looked at Raichu, who was shaking with fear behind Ash, with an evil look in his eye," I'll take very good care of it."

"Don't fall for that, Ash!" Misty shouted. "You and I know he'll treat Raichu like sh-" but before she could go on Persian dug its claws deeper into her hands, breaking into the skin and thin lines of bright red blood streamed out running down her hands and she tried not to wince at the pain.

"You'll have to pry him from my cold, dead body." he looked him in the eye as he said this.

"As you wish, kid" Giovanni remarked as he pulled the trigger. A speeding bullet came out of the gun's barrel right at him! As if she was watching in slow motion, Misty saw Raichu jump up in front of Ash right as it was about to hit the young trainer and it struck the mouse instead.

"RAAAIIICHUUUU, NOOOOOOOOOOO!"Ash screamed at the top of his lungs as the bullet struck him, a few inches from his heart.

At the same time Meowth bit Persian's tail and 'accidently' used Slash on it. The other cat pokemon screamed out in pain. (You'll pay for that!) He hissed as he removed his paws from Misty's hands in order to lunge at his pre-evolved form, which winked at her.

She fell into the cold air. (Gotcha!) Charizard said as he flew under the copter and she fell onto his back. (Take this!) Then the fire type used an enormous Fire Blast at the helicopter, which exploded; sending Persian, Giovanni, Jessie, James and Meowth flew through the air.

"We're blasting off again!" Jessie, James and Meowth shouted before Giovanni started yelling at them as they soon disappeared over the horizon.

XxX. XxX

Charizard flew Misty and Ash holding Raichu in his arms, to the closest Pokémon Center as fast as he could and dropped them off at the entrance. As the two humans rushed inside, the orange fire type looked through the window at his old trainer, who was gently handing Nurse Joy Raichu and sighed. _Wish there was something else I could do to help them in their time of need_ he thought as he took to the air and began to fly the long trek back to the Charific Valley.

Suddenly he heard a voice in his head. "You have done your part well, fire dragon,"

(Huh? Who said that?) He slowed his flying down a bit and looked around. There was no one in sight. Okay either I'm going crazy or-

"You aren't going mad, young Charizard." the voice spoke again –it wasn't harsh but powerful. It wasn't a human voice- he was quite sure of that. The dragon opened his maw to speak but the voice continued. "And yes you ARE young for Charizard standards, for them live hundreds and hundreds of years."

(Umm. okay. what or who are you? are you a -)

"I'm afraid I can't reveal myself, I am connected in a way with your trainer,"

(Gee, that narrows it down a lot) Charizard said sarcastically muttered.

After what Misty told him happened on the airship, a bodiless voice seemed almost normal to him. He' had an odd feeling he'd heard it before. The voice continued. "Like I said you did your part. You rescued the Chosen One and his Raichu from a fate too horrible to imagine. But Raichu's destiny is in the hands of fate now."

(All I did was save them and blow up that stupid helicopter. I wish there was something else I could do. But my size makes it hard to –)

"There is something you can do. Go back to the center and wait near the window. When the moon is nigh fly against it."

(What? How does that help him? Unless you're an über-powerful legendary that can appear in the darkness, heal a fatal wound and turn back time I don't -)

The voice chuckled. "I can't go back time but I know someone else who can. You met me or at least heard me, once me before back in the Orange Islands. You were quite determined to bring the boy to Ice Island so much that you put your own pride aside. Which Legendary do you suppose I am?"

Charizard's jaw dropped as he flew right into a cloudbank and the droplets sizzled against his skin. He knew which Legendary it was. He along with his then teammates had heard it speak through their Pokeballs He bowed his head in respect. (I-I –I didn't realize who you were. I'm – I'm so sorry lord-)

He pictured the powerful white and blue bird waving him along with a wing. "All is forgiven. Now you understand why I need your, your size and bulk. Hide nearby and I will give you a sign when it is time. "

(Yes, lord.) He bowed his head.

"Thank you. And for what its ' worth, that Pidgeot WAS beautiful," Lugia's voice vanished from his mind.

He then turned around and flew back to the Pokémon Center.

(I owe him my life so this is the least i can do) he muttered to himself as he flew back, thinking about how Ash had saved his life not once but twice. The first time was when he was a little Charmander. The young boy, Brock and Misty had come along and saved him from dying in a rainstorm after Damien, his jerky ex-trainer abandoned him for being too weak. The other time was in the Orange Islands .a trainer's Poliwrath had Ice Beamed him and his tail flame had nearly gone out. Ash had stayed up the whole night, rubbing the fire type's skin with his hands until they were red and sore, trying to keep the flame on his tail from going out. This sparked a new respect for Ash in Charizard's eyes, for after he had evolved into Charmeleon he had very bad attitude problems. He lost all respect for the human, disobeying his commands to the point of taking a nap in the middle of a battle. 'Poor kid. To witness something like that after everything he saw in the airship' he touched his heart with a claw. _'He must feel like the bullet did go right through his heart. I just hope that both of them make it through_

XxX. XxX. XxX

Ash was so concerned about Raichu that everything else -giving him to Nurse Joy, the Chanseys treating his and Misty's injuries, or sitting down in the waiting room- seemed to be a blur. All he could think was if he was going to be making it through. 'He has to make it. He just has to'. The thought of losing his best Pokémon friend in the world forever- especially after what they had just gone through- was too much to bear.

"Ash?" Misty's voice broke his train of thought. "Weren't you hungry?"

"H-Huh?"

"I saw you didn't really touch your dinner. Usually you eat like your Snorlax. You sort of picked at your plate and didn't eat much." she commented after dinner when they were back in the waiting room. "Didn't Lawrence give you anything to eat?"

"Barely." he mumbled. The only thing he had was a stale piece of bread. The aristocrat didn't believe in killing him then only starving him "until you are too weak to crawl to the Shamuti Shrine on your belly", which what he told him when he gave him the bread. The villain had taken delight at seeing him like that.

(I ate the whole thing, Mommy) Togepi said proudly Misty had let him out of his Pokeball as soon as she and Ash had arrived at the Center. It was clear that he wasn't upset by the experience at all, but had rather enjoyed it

"I know you did, sweetheart." Misty said. "You're a growing Pokémon."

"W-wasn't hungry." he mumbled, his growling, empty stomach telling the truth.

She looked him over and handed over three packets of peanut butter crackers and a granola bar she bought from the vending machine. "Here. You may not have been hungry for dinner but you need to eat something. " She lowered her voice. "You went through hell in the past day. Starving yourself while waiting to hear about Raichu isn't going to help."

"Thanks Misty" he said as he accepted the food. Being as ravenous as he was it only took him a few minutes to devour the food. He had just thrown away the wrappers in the trash as Nurse Joy came up to them.

"Which one `of you is Ashton?" Misty saw Ash flinch at the name. "I have some news about their Raichu for them."

'Must be his full name', Misty thought. 'No wonder he cringed. Now I know why he insists being called Ash. \ Who in their right mind would name a boy Ashton'.

"That's me. But I go by Ash, not Ashton "Ash said as he jumped out of his seat when he heard that." Is it good news, Nurse Joy? Is the bullet out? Is he going to be okay?" he asked, his face hopeful. "Is he gonna make It"

"It's not looking good" she said as she slowly shook her head. His hopes were crushed. He bit his lip in order not to cry as he sat back down, looking at the floor as if he wanted to hear anything but this news. "Although the bullet is out, he's gravely ill. It seems that it was extremely hard for him to evolve without a Thunderstone and he's also lost tons of blood. There is also some damage done to a few internal organs. It's hard to say if he will make through the night or not. It doesn't look too hopeful at the moment "she ended.

"Can't you do anything else, Nurse Joy?" Misty said in a sad tone. "Raichu was his first Pokémon." she nodded toward Ash. "They were extremely close. They just went through a ... Horrible experience"

"It would take a complete miracle. Chansey, Blissey and I have done all we can, I'm sorry " She sadly and then walked away after the nurse left Ash began to cry his heart out.

…

Misty looked over at her crush. She had never seen him cry like this, sure he cried when he released Butterfree, the first Pokémon he had raised by himself and when he briefly released Pikachu. But never like this, like he was about to lose a very close friend. Their bond was wicked close and what happened on the airship only solidified it. 'What will happen if Raichu doesn't make it?

(Mommy?) Togepi asked her something, interrupting her thought.

"Hmmm. What's the matter?"

(Why's Daddy upset?)

Misty let out a sigh. 'It's a good thing he took a nap in his pokeball. But how am I going to explain this '

She thought. She took a deep breath and began to tell Togepi in the most truthful simple words she could, why Ash was distressed.

"Giovanni," she saw the confused look on his face," the man from the airship with the Persian was –"

(The dark-haired meanie man that's the dummyheads boss?) He inquired her and she tried not to smile at that. Dummyheads was what Togepi called them, his word for idiot. It was true about Meowth, James, and Jessie. They WERE idiots that couldn't catch a Magicarp if their lives depended on it. But the fact that they actually tried to save them redeemed them... very Slightly.

"Yes, the dummyhead's boss. Why do you want to know?"

(I saw him once before today) he said after a minute.

"W-When, Togepi"

(When we were in that big city, I can't wemember the name. the one where Daddy got his last badge.)

"V-V-viridian City?" Misty asked, realizing she was about to find out where he had been when he was lost there. She remembered that dreadful feeling she'd had that he was snatched.

Togepi nodded. (Yeah -that's the one. A Fearow snagged me and then dropped me into the dummyhead's laps. Th-they took me to him. He asked them what I did and they didn't know and he got mad at them. Then a phone wang and they forgot all about me so I went to find you. Why did you want to know where I had seen him?)

That explains why Giovanni called him useless'.

"N-no reason." now that she knew what had happened to him, Misty went back to answering his first question in a low voice . "He had Ash and Raichu tied up at the bottom of a helicopter in that net. I went to try to untie them but a door opened and he had that despicable Persian put its paws over my hands so I couldn't move. He was going to kill me-" Togepi gasped at this. "If Ash didn't hand over Raichu."

(What did Daddy do?)

"He refused a-and-," she stopped, mid-sentence seeing Raichu jump in front of him, taking the bullet for him in her mind

(And what Mommy?) Togepi asked her. (What happened next?)

"Giovanni fired a gun right at him but Raichu jumped up in front of Ash and the bullet hit him instead," Misty told him, omitting it struck Raichu one or two inches from his heart- a near perfect bulls-eye.

(Is he going to be okay?) Togepi asked her, a concerned look on his face. (Mommy, w-will he?)

Misty sighed. "I don't know," she admitted._ 'I hope so' _she added in her thoughts. She then looked over at Ash who had been writing something on a piece of paper he had found. "Whom are you writing to, Ash?" she asked him.

"Mom" he answered quietly and Misty craned her neck and saw what he had written. There were teardrop smudges scattered across it.

Dear Mom

I will be coming home for good, therefore discontinuing my journey. Misty, Pikachu and I had a horrible run in with Giovanni, the Team Rocket leader. He killed Pikachu right in front of me. I don't want to talk about it. I can't think of going on without him so I will be releasing all of my Pokémon at home. I'm sorry that I let you and dad down. Sorry

-Ash

He put it in an envelope, sealed and addressed it. He stared down at it for what seemed like ages as if deciding to send it or not. He then got up, went over to the trashcan, tore it up into tiny pieces and tossed them into the trash bin. One look at his face as he walked back to his seat and she knew why he chucked it. It was hard for him to explain why his journey was over in a letter to his mom. If she read it, she'd have to come clean with her past to him. Misty guessed that she was trying to forget about it. She would be the same way if Togepi were in Raichu's place. "When I first got to Viridian City, I called Mom to let her know how I was doing," he said to Misty as he sat back down, a distant look in his eyes, like he wished he were somewhere else "S-she said that dad would have been proud of me. She never talked about him when I was growing up. All I ever wanted was to become the world's greatest Pokémon master" he glanced up at the lighted needle sign above the Emergency Room's double doors, "but I guess this is the end of the road." He started bawling again. "I-If I-I wasn't t-the Ch-Chosen One, n-none of this would have h-happened, R-R-R-Raichu w-wouldn't be d-d-dying." Ash strangled on the words and then resumed crying. To make him feel better, Misty patted Ash on the back.

"It will be okay, Ash "she comforted him. "But, you did save the planet again and at least Psyduck finally evolved "she optimistically pointed out as she picked Togepi up and put him on Ash's lap. By now Ash had stopped crying and was rubbing Togepi's head half-heartedly as if he was trying to think of something.

"Yeah, but you were the one who figured out I was the one the legend talked about. Ummm, speaking of that, I well uh, what I'm trying to say is that uh um." He stopped for a minute, searching for words to say, "I never got to thank you for that, Misty, so uh, thanks. I also want to thank you for sticking with me through this whole mess. It means a lot to me."

She felt her face blush. "You're welcome". She said back.

He resumed looking up at the lighted sign above the ER's double doors. He was like that for the next few hours. He didn't so much as look away when she let out Politoed and told him to cheer Ash up by using his long tongue to stand on his head. When that didn't work, she told him to dance while croaking the alphabet.

(Politoed is funny, Mommy) Togepi rolled on the floor with laughter. Misty looked over at Ash, who just sighed and then went back to looking at the lighted sign.

She returned him to his pokeball and picked Togepi, who had stopped laughing, up with her arms. "Excuse me?" Nurse Joy motioned to misty from the other side of the room so she walked over to her "You came in with the boy with the Raichu, right."

Misty nodded. "Do you know how he lost all that blood and energy?" she asked.

She described it to Nurse Joy, omitting a few parts. She felt like she was reliving the events again as she explained them to the nurse.

…

Before she went to bed late that night in the bedroom the Center provided for Ash, Togepi and her, she quietly said "Ho-Oh, Mew, whoever is up there. It's me, Misty. You probably have witnessed the events that brought Ash and I here. I have one thing to ask of you. Please don't let Raichu die. Ash would be beyond brokenhearted. Raichu saved his life." Misty looked over at the next bed where he was asleep. He was so drained from that day's events – both mentally and physically- it had taken him little time to get changed for bed and even less time to fall asleep. "You saw how close they are. He's saved the world a bunch. Please help him now."

(Mommy?) Togepi asked her sleepily.

She smiled at him. "You're supposed to be regaining your energy from doing Metronome twice. It takes up a lot of energy," She said as she got under the covers.

(That's a weally nice thing that you said. If I were a legendary, I'd answer it).

"I know you would."

(N-night.) He yawned before curling up into a ball, closing his little eyes and falling fast asleep. She gently put him next to her and pulled the cover over him so it covered the lower half of his body .She looked down at him lovingly and sighed.

As she looked up at the full moon through the windows and yawned, she thought she saw a large outline against the moon. 'No, it couldn't be... He can't leave' the-' she didn't finish the thought as she yawned again, overcome with tiredness from the emotional exhausting day. Within a few seconds she was fast asleep.

…

,

When he was sure Misty and Togepi were both fast asleep, Ash- who'd been lightly sleeping for he couldn't fall totally sleeps in fear of revisiting the day's events in his dreams- snuck out of bed. He got a small blue box out of his jeans pocket and quietly walked out of the room, closing the door most of the way behind him. "Umm... excuse me miss?" he asked a Chansey on the night watch.

(Yes? Can I help you, young man?)

"Th-There was an injured r-r-Raichu that was brought in earlier today. Do you kn-know-"

One look at his worried face and the kindly pink Pokémon understood. (If he's okay and what room he's in?) She finished. He nodded. (Come with Me. dear. I'll show you. )

"Th-thank you."

She brought him down the corridor and to the left then down a right corridor. They stopped at a door halfway closed. She opened the door all the way. (That's so he gets some fresh air. He was gravely wounded but he's recovering) the teen breathed with relief. (But he's sleeping now.)

"Thanks." he walked quietly into the small room, which was illuminated by the bright moonlight. The sight that welcomed him quickly turned his stomach and made him mentally sick. It was painful ignoring the IV fastened to Raichu's paw, or at the large bag of fluid attached to a stand on the left side of the bed pumping oxygen into his body through the IV. The countless cuts and bites from the Persian had been cleaned up with healing cream and now were simply swollen though a few were gone. There must have been way too many for Joy, Chansey and Blissey to heal in addition to the blood loss, injured paw and bullet shell was worse not to look at the machine next to his bed on the right connected to him by wires attached to his body. It monitored his heartbeat as thin waves on a computer screen next to the bed. Looking at a small table where the bloodied bullet shell had been made his face go pale. He forced himself not to look at it. The room's silence was only broken by the heartbeat machine beeping and the Pokémon's quiet breathing.

"Hey, pal. I n-never thanked you for taking the g-gunshot for me" Ash choked as he approached the bed. "Are you up?" he muttered as he stroked his fur, many parts of it swollen where Persian had bitten and slashed him.

A weak (huh?) replied. Raichu opened one eye slowly when he heard the voice. He turned around, looked up and managed a small smile. (Hi.)

The claw marks across the left side of his face were faint scars thanks to Chansey and Blissey's help. The teen's face-hardened for a few seconds at the sight of the gashes. "hi bud..You okay?"

(I-i thinks so. My body is in so much agony and pain.).

"For what you went through you look really good", the human truthfully said. Then after a minute he asked the one puzzling question on his mind ever since the incident.

"H -how did you evolve without a Thunder Stone? I thought it was impossible…."

(It's... extremely extremely rare to happen. Stone ev-evolution Pokémon aren't supposed there was suddenly this huge spurt of energy that gave me the energy. You were in danger. And that Persian said something that hit deep. . I knew what I. Had to do. ) He slowly said. (Besides. I had to save your life. You did it for me the day we first met. Remember the Spearows?)

"Yeah." Ash nodded. He would never forget that moment

XxX flashback scene XxX flashback scene XxX flashback scene XxX flashback scene XxX flashback scene XxX

He put the pokeball next to the bruised injured mouse on the wet ground. "Get in the ball."

The electric type shook his head at it. (Are you crazy, you stupid human? No way am I going in that thing again. You can forget it. )

"I know you don't like it but this way I can save you." He stood up and walked a few feet over to where the Spearow flock was fluttering in the howling rainstorm.

He stood tall as he said "Spearows! Do you know who I am? I'm Ash from the town of Pallet. I am destined to be the world's number one Pokémon Master. I can't be defeated by the likes of you! Pikachu, go inside the Poké Ball it's the only way!" He ordered without even looking at the mouse, which was stunned. "I'm going to capture and defeat you all. You hear me? Come and get me"

They flew at him! He waited for the impact but the mouse got off the ground, jumped off the boy's shoulder into the air and harnessed the lightning.

(TAKE THISSSS!) He shocked the birds with a massive Thunderbolt-one of which hit the girl's bike Ash had taken and charred it to a crisp. The combination of lightning and rain was so strong it knocked the boy and the little Pokémon out,

.

When he woke up in the sunlight he saw the injured yellow Pokémon about two feet away from him. He smiled. "Well we beat them."

(Yeah, we sure did. You know something … you're not so bad for a human. You're not as stupid as I thought you were.)

XxX flashback ends XxX flashback ends XxX flashback ends XxX flashback ends XxX flashback ends

(Yeah) Raichu agreed and went on. (When that despicable Persian and his copies were attacking me I tried to fight back against them but I was drained from creating the Substitute. I knew you wouldn't want me to give up so I gave it my all. )

"The speech you said to that Persian was so moving."

(Thanks. I couldn't hold on much longer after he pounced on me and I thought that I didn't have any strength left due to the blood loss. But when it said those comments you being a weakling and pathetic really hit deep. I knew what I had to do to save your life and my own. That was when I snapped. )

The teenager recalled the look of utter rage and power in the mouse's eyes as he punched and kicked the Persian off him. "I don't blame you. I'd probably do the same thing if I was in your position."

(That. cat. was wrong. You're not weak or all. You're the best human friend I could have. Don't tell anyone, but I wouldn't want anyone else except you to train me.)

"I won't." Ash said, feeling tears roll down his face. "I-I want you to the first one to know" He said as he reached into his pocket, pulled out the blue box and opened it to show him what was inside. It was a magnificent- looking ring with a small Water Stone piece cut into Misty's initials: MIW. These three letters stood for Misty Imusak Waterflower, which was Misty's full name. The ring's band was an aquamarine color that matched her eyes.

"After all, you were the one who brought us together. Well technically it was the Spearows that were chasing us but still." Ash said as he closed the box and put it away in his pocket.

He closed his eyes. In his mind images of some of the past day's events started to come up seriatim at once:

Waking up on Lawrence's airship his prisoner and being threatened by him

Reuniting with Pikachu.

Psyduck saving Misty's life and evolving.

Giovanni entering the whole situation

The Persian's brutal attack.

Pikachu evolving.

Giovanni threatening to use him to break Raichu and kill him if Raichu rebelled

And the worst of all, watching Raichu take the bullet intended for him.

This last scene kept recurring over and over in ash's mind. He had to open his eyes to stop it. When he did he instantly knew something was wrong. Looking back down at the bed where Raichu lay, he saw that his eyes were closed. He felt the mouse's body with his hand, which felt cold whereas a few minutes ago it had been warm and gasped. There was a stillness in the room as the only no breathing in the room was his own. He looked up to the machine that monitored Raichu's heartbeat. It stopped showing the weak waves and now a flat line was appearing on the screen. "Oh no…oh no., oh no. " A huge lump rose in his throat. The boy knew what that flat line meant. At that moment the reality hit Ash like a herd of stampeding Ponytas. Raichu, his first ever Pokémon was dead, taken from him in a bold act of sacrifice. Before he knew it, tears were streaming out of his eyes and down his face.

**I close my eyes**

**And I can see**

**The day we met**

That fateful meeting and the Spearows

**Just one moment and I knew**

**You're my best friend**

**'Do anything**

**For you**

Getting the SuperPotion for him

Their numerous battles with Team Rocket

**We've gone so far**

**And done so much**

**And I feel**

**Like we've always been together**

The battle with Surge's Raichu

**Right by my side**

**Through thick and thin**

**You're the part of my life**

**I'll always remember**

All their times together

**xxx**

**The time has come**

**It's for the best I know it**

**Who could've guessed that you and I...**

**Somehow, someday**

**We'd have to say goodbye.**

Reuniting with one another after he released him briefly

**You've helped me find**

**The strength inside**

**And the courage**

**To make all my dreams come true**

Their battles in the Indigo Championship and the Orange Crew finals

**How will I find**

**Another friend**

**Like you**

Huddling with him and other Pokémon in that cave during the snowstorm

**Two of a kind**

**That's what we are**

**And it seemed**

**Like we were always winning**

All of their gym battle wins

**But as our team**

**Is torn apart**

The fierce battle with the Persian on the airship

**I wish we could go**

**Back to the beginning**

The surprising evolution

**The time has come**

**It's for the best I know it**

**Who could've guessed that you and I...**

**Somehow, some way**

**We'd have to say goodbye.**

Giovanni firing the gunshot and Raichu taking the bullet

**Somehow today...**

**...We have to say goodbye**

"NOOOOOOOO!" Ash sobbed and his hot tears fell onto Raichu's lifeless fur for minutes he didn't know how long he cried for. "Raichu, please don't-Huh?"

He stopped as a single teardrop fell onto the mouse's body and an enormous white light, not unlike the glowing light of evolution, covered the still body. He watched as his body started growing smaller, the scars from the Persian's attack vanishing. Yellow fur washed across his shrinking body replacing the red-orange fur. His ears grew smaller as did his tail. His body stopped shrinking and the light disappeared, leaving a Pikachu in the Raichu's spot.

Ash looked up at the screen next to the bed that monitored his Pokémon's heartbeat. It stopped going in a flat line and started going in enormous waves. He felt a small lick on his hand and looked down at him and smiled. (Ash? WH-what happened? Why do I have an IV in my paw?)

"Shh, pal. Everything's going to be okay" Ash said to restore confidence in him. "Do you remember what happened just now?"

Pikachu looked confused (no. Why?)

Ash bit his lip. "Y-you left this world for a few minutes, pal" ash said plainly.

(You mean...I d-died?) He nodded. (But-) the mouse fell back asleep. Apparently coming back from the dead – on top of everything else - had utterly wiped him out.

Before Ash fell asleep, he heard a familiar Pokémon voice in his head. "Chosen One, I have saved your Pikachu's life for you saved mine twice now. He is a very special Pikachu and I now see why you two are destined to be together. May we meet again in the future"

"Lugia…?"

XxX. XxX. XxX. XxX. XxX. XxX. XxX. XxX. XxX

Afterwards Misty told him when Nurse Joy came into the room the next morning to check on Raichu she couldn't believe her eyes. The mouse, which had pretty much been on death's doorstop, had changed back to a Pikachu. Aside from a cracked rib and one or two slash marks on his body, there wasn't a sign he had been inches from dying or that none of the events Misty had told her the night before had ever taken place. She was baffled at what had happened but he knew better. Also all of his Pokémon were next to or nearby him. Noctowl had watched the door while Cyndaquil kept Ash and Pikachu warm with her body. Totodile was asleep behind them under the window-he'd been guarding it all night, ready to bite anyone who tried to sneak up on his trainer. His Bayleef had fallen sound asleep; her head on his knee and Phanpy was asleep at his feet, her trunk on his shoe. Misty said Chansey found this out when she went to check out a noise in their room that night, which turned out to be the Pokémon getting out of their pokéballs and coming into the room where they were.

Later that day while Pikachu was getting a check-up to make sure he was okay since he had gone through a great ordeal in the last two days, Ash slipped the blue box with the ring into Misty's bag while she was getting Golduck checked over. He sat back down as she came back into the waiting room, Togepi in her arms "So, um, is he okay?" he asked her, trying to make conversation.

"He's perfectly healthy according to Nurse Joy. She told me that Psyduck really must have cared for me when Lawrence was twisting my arm and threatening to kill me to evolve into such a handsome Golduck. Togepi also had a checkup too, didn't you baby?" Misty happily asked Togepi.

(Nurse Joy said she should be weally proud of me for making the mean man's ship explode) Togepi beamed at Ash, who could only smile feebly

"That's great, Togepi" he said, his stomach feeling like there was a flock of Butterfrees in it.

Misty sat down next to him. "Is something bothering you, Ash? You don't seem like yourself today you're acting weirder that usual." She asked him.

_Aside from the facts that I just went through an utter torture session by Lawrence and that inhumane merciless leader of Team Rocket – who pretty much threatened my life, saw Pikachu evolve and take a bullet meant for me, saw him briefly die and then de-evolve and get revived. Oh and biggest thing of all on that there is a ring and a note that explains my feelings for you inside your bag, nothing _he thought. Instead he faced her and said, "There is nothing wrong with me, Misty aside from that absolute hell I just went through. Honest."

She looked at him strangely as if to say, "Yeah right" so he grinned uneasily as if to prove it and after a minute of silence he got up and ran past her, muttering something about the restroom. As he did, he felt his face redden.

,

She stared at his retreating form as he went into the Emergency Room's double doors instead. She sighed, rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Boys act so weird," She put Togepi on the floor. Next she picked up her bag, lifted it onto her lap and looked for her journal, a small book that she was able to write in when she pretended to be asleep so Ash wouldn't see its contents, most of which included her deepest thoughts about him. This would be a perfect time to write about what had happened in the past two days but instead of her diary Misty pulled out a small blue box. "What's this?"

(What's in there?) Togepi asked her as she looked at the box

"I don't know." She answered. He watched Misty as she opened it. "Holy Miltank."

Her eyes went wide and her jaw dropped. In the center was a ring with three tiny pieces of a Water Stone that were carefully cut into three individual letters, M.I.K., These three letters stood for Misty Imusak Waterflower, which was her full name. The ring's band was an exquisite aquamarine blue color with lines of ocean blue mixed in. Misty just stared at the ring in awe for a few minutes. A note written in neat blue ink, as if the person writing it had taken time to decide on the words, next to it read:

We met each other by accident

I know our meeting was to be meant.

Throughout the years we've developed into close friends

Will you become my girlfriend?

I know at times you think I don't have a clue

But to be honest I really do love you.

-A.I.K

Misty lifted Togepi up onto her lap so he could see it (It's beautiful, Mommy) He pointed at the A.I.K at the bottom of the note with a tiny finger. (What's that?)

"Hmm? Initials."

(em-ee-tals?) and she nodded.

"It's pronounced initials. It means the first letters of a name It stands for Ashton Ihsotas Ketchum" Misty corrected him.

Togepi was confused by the name. (Who is Ayysh-ton eye-suit-taze?) Togepi had trouble pronouncing the name.

"It's pronounced Ih-so-tas "she corrected him

(Oh/ who's that ?)

"That's Ash, sweetie" she explained dreamily as she put the ring on her right hand and just stared at it for a few minutes.

(Uh mommy...) he tapped her arm.

"Hmm?"

(Look up.)

She looked up and saw her crush standing in front of her, his face redder than a Fire Spin attack. Raichu, no, Pikachu was on his usual post on Ash's shoulder. At first she blinked and rubbed her eyes with her hands to make sure she wasn't dreaming. No, she wasn't seeing things- there was Pikachu. Asides from a sash-like white hospital bandage around his ribs and a faint slash mark on his face, he looked normal. Like nothing had happened to him at all, like he hadn't been inches away from death the night before, never evolved without a Thunder Stone. She and Togepi stared at him for a few minutes, looking from him to Ash back to the electric type mouse.

"How did you...I saw you get hit with ... but you were a Raichu. But the bullet ..."

Pikachu lightly jumped off Ash's shoulder onto the chair next to her. (I don't know what happened myself.)

"Maybe it's fate for you to be this way."

He shrugged. (Probably)

Misty put Togepi on the floor and placed the box with the note gently in her backpack on the floor "Uh. I see that you got my ring" Ash said.

"Oh, y-yeah I d-did" she responded.

"I was going to give it to you in the gym, away from your sisters. But you kinda yelled at me and." he stopped mid-sentence, bit his lip and looked down at his shoes for a minute or two. There was no need to finish the sentence.

'I wondered what he was going on about. I can't believe that we both loved each other but were both as stubborn as Tauros to admit it to one another '

Misty thought as she peeked down at the ring for a few seconds. 'He's got a lot more guts than me"

He looked back up at her. "I-I needs to tell you something, Misty I… forgot that I owed you a bike until that fight in the forest. I. Really like you but it didn't really sink in until I saw the note from the dolt trio and the time n Lawrence's ship. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I l-l-"

(Love) Pikachu prompted.

"L-love you." Ash finished

Misty's face went the color of a rose. Togepi smiled, he knew what she was going to say for it was something that she hadn't yet told the black haired boy. "I have something to tell you too. I l-love you with all my heart, Ash Ketchum. What happened on the ship only made me realize how much I care for you? " She stood up as went right up to him and kissed him right on the lips, something she had wanted to do since she came across him just about four years ago, well really since the whole Lugia incident.

"Uh I-" Ash started to say but Misty surprised him by planting her lips onto his and kissing him. This was not what he expected whatsoever! It was beyond amazing- fireworks seemed to explode as they kissed passionately for an eternity, well it seemed that way to Misty.

XxX XxX

he didn't remember-getting cream for his Pokémon's wounds or leaving the Center. He was in a daze after that kiss, his first real kiss by a girl who was now his girlfriend. Once they had walked for about five minutes, Misty asked him how he had managed to pay for the ring, which she kept looking at. "All the money from the battles-" he started.

That reminded Misty of something. "Wait a minute. you still owe me a battle from the Cerulean gym. "She interrupted.

"I do not!" Ash protested.

"You do too!" Misty responded to him.

"Do not!"

(Oh brother... here they go again) Pikachu sighed.

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"You do too! You and I never ended the battle at the Cerulean Gym. I would have creamed you if Jessie, Meowth and James hadn't stormed in and disrupted our battle."

He rolled his eyes. "Yeeeah. Sure you would have.."

"and those three idiots also interrupted the battle we had for Totodile…"

(yeah… to get Politoed and I ) the mouse muttered under his breath

" oh come on.. I won that battle. You do realize that it was my Pokeball that caught him."

Now it was her turn to roll her eyes. "uh huh. Suuuure it was Ash.. Besides he's better suited to you than me though I'm perfectly happy with Politoed. And i got Corsola in the Whirl Islands.."

. ."

.

"Everyone knows I could cream you with Muk alone, But he'd take one look and get a crush ." Ash regretted this as soon as he realized what he said. "Eep!"

Sometimes he didn't think before he spoke which landed him in a lot of hot water. this was undeniably one of those times. _Why didn't I keep my big mouth shut?_ He thought. He began to slink away but he only got about a few inches away before Misty became a violent volcano. Her head grew ten times larger and her mouth seemed to have taken on fangs, all within a minute. Her pupils seemed to be on fire and her veins popped out of her forehead.

She could have scared the crud out of Jessie, Meowth and James with her scary facial expression. "WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN, ASH KETCHUM?" she yelled at the top of her lungs as she ran after him, her mallet in one hand, Togepi was in the other.

( Grasshopper has little sense but big mouth . She's going to pound you majorly for that comment.) Pikachu said as he clung to Ash's shoulder with his paws as he steered clear of the blows of the mallet.

"I know, pal. I have got to learn to watch what I say or you can Thunderbolt me every time I say something stupid, like that… for example." Ash said to him as he ran as fast as he could as if his life depended on it, which in a way it did.

Narrator: Now that the mess with Lawrence is over, what new adventures and friends will our two heroes come upon next? Will Ash ever learn to think before he speaks? Will Lawrence continue to chase them? I don't know the answers to those questions since I'm not psychic nor know Future Sight!

The end

Author's note:

How's thatfor an ending? Did you know that the kiss and the ring were the reasons I wrote this superb, romantic story? Shocked at Pikachu's evolution? If you're wondering about the whole evolving-without-a-stone thing, well I can't really come up with an explanation other than what is said in the fanfic. I wanted a big twist that no one would see coming.

Use your imagination to figure out what kind of attack Togepi used to make the airship explode and to find out what happened to Lawrence and Gio but they don't die.

Did you love the talon? I crack up every time I read it.

I know it's highly impossible for the Persian to know Recover, Future Sight and Conversion2-. . It's also unlikely for Golduck to know Recover, but I needed him to use Confuse ray and telekinesis to confuse Persian and to get the cage away from puzzled cat so I used a quick recovery move. To my knowledge, Lugia didn't speak to Charizard in the film but I think he heard what Lugia was saying when he was inside his pokeball. I'm aware Lawrence is crueler than he is in the movie. I think his obsession for revenge twisted his mind.

I just had to put Jessie, James and Meowth's "We're blasting off again" line in. Come on what's a Pokemon fic without that line-too classic

I didn't put Brock in this fic since he's a source of comic relief- he takes away from the true romance/ plus in my belief he couldn't get a girlfriend if he were the last guy in Johto so I had Charizard flirt. Weird how I mention him three times in the fic yet he's not in it? You figure out how Ash knew Misty's middle name and vice versa.

Hope that you liked it. Thanks again! Please review and check out my other stories


	4. Pokemon the Movie 2000 II Aftermath

aftermaths

Pokemon The Movie 2000 II: Lawrence's revenge Aftermath by WyldClaw

Plot: short WCVerse pov perspective one shot. Ash, Misty, Meowth and Pikachu's thoughts about a month after my fanfic Pokemon The Movie 2000 II: Lawrence's revenge (spoilers abound): If you think I own any of the characters then you must be mad because I don't! Meowth's part is written like his way of speaking. A line of XXX marks the perspective change. Enjoy and please read and review. Thanks!

XxX. XxX. XxX. XxX

**Misty:**

A little over a single month. That's all it's been since everything changed forever for us. So much has changed in that short time or so but the major change is my boyfriend {I can't get over saying it.} He's not as jokey and much more reserved. When I look into his eyes there's a kind of sorrow in them like someone who's endured a lot of hardships in a short time. Unfortunately that's true in his case. Though the scars may be healed from his skin the ordeal left deeper scars- scars that will take much more time to recover than a few cuts. I've seen the way he sadly looks at Pikachu at times. I can't say I blame him after the mouse took Giovanni's bullet for him. Ash also told me secretly about the death/ de-evolution in the Pokémon Center when he was a Raichu. Both of them have been through so much pain lately. There are times when he's grooming Pikachu and he come across a scar from that incident. I wish that I could do something to help them recover. I know this is a battle they have to face alone

Lawrence and Giovanni must have survived both Togepi's Metronome on the airship and Charizard's Fire Blast attack. I think they put a huge bounty on our- more like Ash and Pikachu's heads. Lately we've had to deal with all sorts of kidnapping/ pokenapping attempts not just from Rocket goons but also from bandits and outlaws. It hasn't made our journey the easiest – the worst was when Tyson tried another sneak attack and we wouldn't have been so lucky if Lance and his Dragonite hadn't been there. luckily I have my Pokémon- including my incredible Golduck by my side to help save them.

I just wish things would go back to the way they were… before the whole mess with Lawrence and Giovanni, Ash would return to the way he used to be- the boy I fell in love with. But thanks to that Shamuti legend and Giovanni's intervention I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon. I just hope that when we reach Mount Silver for the Silver Conference, Ash will be back to his regular self. At this point, I don't care if he brings up that stupid bike, if he does, then I know he's back to normal I can only hope.

XXX. XXX. XXX. XXX. XXX. XXX. XXX. XXX. XXX. XXX.

**Pikachu**

I've experienced a seemingly endless month or so of nightmares reliving what happened that day. It's enough to scare the fur off anyone. I hate it- going through it once was terrifying enough…

I think the ordeal changed both my trainer and I the most . sometimes at night we'll both have nightmares – whether it's from that day or nightmares that spring from the events. Ash isn't quite the same reckless-playing-the-hero boy I met years ago. He's a bit more sullen and his hands wobble a bit when he pets me. He also gets quiet when he looks at me sometimes –I think it's because I died for those few minutes. I wish I knew what happened but it's like my memory was wiped since o don't even remember dying or de-evolving from a Raichu

I have scars on my ears and tail, although they are now covered by fur, but have things like my fear of pokéballs, will never go away. The threats of the Persian saying that I was a weak Pokémon and what Giovanni said to me when I was trapped in the cage are things that will linger. I'll never forget Mega-Kicking that Persian off of me for calling Ash pathetic. Ever since then, I've been wary of every Persian. My teammates have noticed that I've quieter than normal and sad at times but they don't pry. I think Bayleef knows a bit of what happened because when i have one of my sad times she'll use her Sweet Scent powder. No one asked me how I got into the emergency room that night or why I ended up there. I think Misty and Ash told everyone not to ask me about it.

I don't believe for a second Charizard's Fire Blast killed Giovanni, Jessie, meowth and James when it caused the helicopter to explode. I can still hear his cold cruel voice in my nightmares. There is no way that vile leader of Team Rocket would let himself be done in so easily. Plus we've had to deal with a lot more Rocket ambushes than normal . I think he must have put a major reward out for our capture cause now outlaws and bandits try to get both Ash and I. not even a few days after the incident Butch and Cassidy tried a stealth attack: they lured us using disguises as herbalists. They sprung a trap involving a small traveling herb store - claiming they had medicine that could heal painful memories. They had succeeded in separating Ash from us and but it was Cyndaquil, Togepi and I who noticed something was off. Once their cover was blown and Misty tried to ask politely to let him go, the duo refused. They brought out some strong electricity-draining machine and used it on me and nearly drained all of my electrical voltage. . the Team Rocket leader mist have put a reward on our heads cause now outlaws like the Pokemon Poacher Brothers try to get us too. Thank the Pokegods for quick thinking and Misty . If she hadn't stopped them .. well I don't even want to think about it,

I know one thing: after the hell he and that evil Persian put me through on Lawrence's aircraft I never ever want to end up in his hands. Despite being hunted like a rare Pokémon and dealing with the aftermath some good things came out of that whole situation: Psyduck evolved saving misty on his own, I evolved into a Raichu {briefly} and Ash and Misty are finally dating. But sadly the bad effects out weigh the good and we just have to take it one day at a time.

XXX. XXX. XXX. XXX. XXX. XXX. XXX. XXX. XXX. XXX.

**Ash:**

It's been just over month of horrendous nightmare filled nights- most of them involving that horrible calamity in some form. Sometimes it's reliving the whole ordeal while other times I'm beaten up/ chased by those despicable villains or someone in their pay. I wake up dripping in sweat either to my own screams or Misty. [By the pokegods I am so lucky to having such a caring girlfriend). A teen like me shouldn't have had to experience those events.

But as horrendous as the incident was (and ruined my sleep) it's truly changed me and not for the better. I'm jumpier and more reserved than before. There are times when I'm petting Pikachu and come across a patch of new fur or a faded slash mark and the memories come back. I'm not as carefree as I once was. I guess that's what happens when you pretty much see your first Pokémon beat to a pulp and evolve in front of you. When Nurse Joy told us that he might not make it through the night, I felt like Giovanni had also shot a giant hole where my heart is, it felt that unbearable. Having something like that happen to your first Pokémon is utterly painful and heartbreaking it is.

The memory of Pikachu's evolution, sacrifice and (brief) death still claws my heart and memory like a harsh Fury Swipes attack and brings tears to my face. I've secretly told Misty about his short death (she wasn't too surprised at hearing that Lugia intervened). He doesn't remember dying and I don't fancy remembering those heart wrenching minutes so we leave that topic alone. I thought my heart would burst with pride when I heard him talk back to that loathsome, evil Persian and to Giovanni himself. He's been through ever so much in such a short time.

I can't believe we survived that encounter with Giovanni. He is as ruthless and beyond evil as anyone can be and probably would have killed Misty and I if he could. But she didn't hear his threat to go to Pallet and see mom-only I did. I haven't even got the heart to tell her about him knowing my full name or where I live. Even the memory gives me goosebumps. I don't want to know how he knows that. I can't believe that this man is Jessie Meowth and James' boss. I don't think he's dead -he so determined to get his filthy hands on Pikachu (and me) that he must have put a reward out for us. We've had to deal with bandits as well as Rocket grunts. There is no way I'm letting him get his greedy loathsome hands on my best non-human friend… Ever again.

Unfortunately, Jessie, Meowth and James have not quieted down in their attempts to get Pikachu. Now they try to get me as well. I know that Lawrence must have told Giovanni to tell them to get me. One time when Misty was out gathering firewood, they sprayed Pikachu and I with the sticky nets that they used in the Fuchsia City Gym (the nets stuck to us like glue and I couldn't reach any of my pokéballs) a then used a crane to lift us up. Luckily, Misty and Golduck saved us in the nick of time. bounty hunters are also after us,: in fact the Pokemon Poacher Brother's who separated Larvitar and his mother tried to get us. If it were not for Misty we wouldn't just be having those horrible nightmares; we'd be living themmWhenever I'm feeling down thinking about the bad changes since the airship, Misty's there to cheer me up with a kiss. Despite everything that's happened recently my side through it all sticks her. Finally admitting my feelings has been one of the few bright sides of the past few months. Hard to imagine that she is my girlfriend now after all of this

I hope when we reach Mount Silver, I can get back to my old self with regular old battling, not battling to save my and Pikachu's skins

XxX. XxX

**Meowth**

Jus' over a month. Dat's how it's been since da Boss asked Jessie, James and I ta capture da twoip as well as Pikachu. Well it was actually Lawrence, but he's workin' wid da Boss. I tink he still tinks dat if da twoip is in his possession den da twoip can't get out an' save da world or Lugia. I piosonally tink dat Lawrence is so intent on obtainin' Lugia dat he don't realize dat by capturin' da Water's Great Guardian, da waters will over flood da planet. As Jessie and James told da twoip as we was headin' ta Ice Island, "We don't da world destroyed. Even if we survived, there'd be no one left ta steal from". .

Jessie, James an' I never told da Boss dat we gave Pikachu da TM dat taught 'im Substitute. He'd exile us if he found out! Where would we go? Jess and I don't have any family or a home while James would have ta go home an' face Jessebelle. Dat's a fate almost worse den his wrath! We knew dat it was going to be a secret dat all three of us would keep until our dyin' day. But I have a strange feelin' he suspects it.

Jessie an' James have told me to just stick to da job at hand … but I can't help feel sorry fer 'im. Ya never would expect dose woids ta come outta my mouth but it's true! Ever since da whole ting wid Lawrence ago he's changed. I guess for him Dere were two parts of dat horrible day dat I tink really changed 'im. One of dose parts must 'ave been when he had ta see dat awful Persian brutally attack Pikachu and nearly kill 'im. We may be villains but we aren't dat evil. We'd never an' i mean never sink ta dat level a' cruelty. Besides in da long run he's just a kid-an annoyin' little twoip dat messes up our plans but still a other thing must have been when Da Boss' bullet shot Raichu er Pikachu. Jessie would be heartbroken if someting like dat happened ta Arbok and da same ting goes fer James and Weezing.

Although I don't show it to dem, I'm glad when we get blasted off now. It means dat da twoip an' Pikachu are safe from fer anuder day. When I heard da Boss tellin' Pikachu what he was gonna do ta him ta get all da soft-heartedness out, I shuddered. When I was da top cat, I had ta see rockets whippin' an' starvin' da Pokémon dat didn't do da attacks right or refused ta battle. It was horrible an'. Dat's something dat ya don't ever forget. When da boss was telling da twoip what he was gonna do ta 'im ta get da mouse ta listen and what he'd do if Raichu fought back I felt an eerie chill go down my fur an felt a little hope inside a me shrivel up. I couldn't let dat happen ta dem.

Time for me to do my usual wake up for Jessie an' James, a nice little servin' of my Fury Swipes across dere faces an' Jessie yellin' in my face. So I gotta put on my mask, 'because dey would never understand my sympathy fer da twoips. Dey'd jus' say dat Pikachu's thunderbolt fried my brain. Perhaps it did.

The End

Author's notes: did you like it? Hated it? Thought Meowth was too OOC? Let me know in a review. Be sure to check out my other fanfics. Thank you


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